- KP has 8,024 doctors for a population of more than 40 million
- Public hospitals have 18,432 beds against a need of around 64,000
- More than 200 government health facilities are non-functional
- The government plans to amend the MTI Act and audit hospitals
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has just 8,024 doctors for a population of more than 40 million. More than 200 government health facilities of various types are also lying non-functional across the province.
The figures work out to roughly one doctor for every 5,000 to 6,000 people.
A Serious Shortage of Hospital Beds
The problem goes beyond the number of doctors. Public hospitals in the province have 18,432 beds, while the population requires around 64,000.
That leaves a shortfall of more than 45,000 beds. In other words, existing hospitals offer less than a third of the capacity that is needed.
| Resource | Currently available | Estimated requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Doctors | 8,024 | Around 40,000 (WHO benchmark) |
| Public hospital beds | 18,432 | Around 64,000 |
Far Below the WHO Benchmark
The World Health Organization recommends one doctor for every 1,000 people. Measured against that standard, KP would need around 40,000 doctors.
This is about five times the current number of 8,024.
What the Government Plans
KP Health Adviser Lt. Gen. (R) Nigar Johar said during a briefing that the government has decided to amend the Medical Teaching Institutions (MTI) Act. It will also carry out an audit of hospitals.
She added that the Sehat Card programme will not be scrapped. Instead, the government intends to fix its flaws and improve the scheme.
The province recently decided to put the Sehat Card programme through a financial audit.
Building New Hospitals
Earlier, the provincial government also ordered fast-track work on new hospitals. However, the latest figures show how wide the gap remains between the demand for care and what is currently available.
The government has decided to amend the MTI Act, audit hospitals and put the Sehat Card programme through a financial audit while fixing its flaws.
Questions and answers
How many doctors does Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have?
The province has 8,024 doctors for a population of more than 40 million, which is roughly one doctor for every 5,000 to 6,000 people.
How many hospital beds is KP short of?
Public hospitals have 18,432 beds, while around 64,000 are needed. This is a shortfall of more than 45,000 beds.
Will the Sehat Card programme be scrapped?
No. KP Health Adviser Lt. Gen. (R) Nigar Johar said the programme will not be scrapped. Its flaws will be fixed and the scheme improved, and the province has also decided to put it through a financial audit.
Image: Zarghun11 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
