The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Doctors Association (PDA) has called for a comprehensive audit of the Sehat Card Plus programme. The association also wants independent investigations into alleged financial irregularities and urgent measures to address staff shortages in public hospitals.
In a 20-point proposal submitted to Health Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Dr Nigar Johar Khan, PDA President Dr Amir Taj Khan outlined reforms. The proposals cover healthcare governance, doctors’ service matters and the delivery of public health services across the province.
Doctors Seek Independent Audit of Sehat Card Plus
The PDA has demanded an independent audit of the Sehat Card Plus programme to examine its financial management. Moreover, the association has proposed placing the programme directly under the provincial government instead of the State Life Insurance Corporation.
The proposal also calls for a confidential audit of medicine contracts and a review of existing procurement procedures. These measures aim to scrutinise financial processes and address concerns about transparency in healthcare spending.
However, the association has not presented findings establishing wrongdoing in the programme. Instead, it has called for an audit to examine its operations and financial arrangements.
PDA Calls for Hospital Governance Reforms
Alongside financial scrutiny, the doctors’ association has demanded changes to the management of medical institutions. It wants the existing boards of governors of medical teaching institutions and other health-related bodies dissolved.
The PDA has called for new appointments based on merit and professional competence. According to its proposal, healthcare institutions should have leadership selected through professional standards rather than other considerations.
The association has also sought high-level inquiries into alleged corruption and financial irregularities within public health institutions. Furthermore, it has demanded strict action against individuals found responsible following investigations.
These proposals form part of the association’s broader push to improve accountability across the province’s healthcare system.
Around 600 District Specialists Needed
The PDA has also highlighted staffing shortages in hospitals across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. It has demanded the recruitment of around 600 district specialists to strengthen medical services and help address gaps in specialist care.
The proposed recruitment forms a key part of the association’s wider healthcare reform agenda. However, the submitted proposal does not confirm a recruitment schedule or indicate when the government might act on the demand.
What the 20-Point Proposal Seeks to Change
The PDA’s recommendations address several areas of healthcare administration, including financial oversight, institutional leadership and doctors’ service matters. In particular, the association wants independent scrutiny of public health finances alongside changes to programme management.
Its demands also connect staffing needs with broader questions about hospital performance and service delivery. The association is seeking action on both immediate workforce shortages and longer-term governance concerns.
The proposal places the Sehat Card Plus audit among several requested reforms rather than treating it as an isolated issue. The next step will depend on how the provincial health authorities respond to the association’s recommendations.
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