PESHAWAR: A recent report has revealed alarming administrative and medical irregularities in government hospitals and health centers across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The findings highlight severe shortages of medicines, non-functional medical equipment, poor cleanliness, and high absenteeism among doctors.
According to the report, only 45% of the province’s 32 major hospitals had priority medicines available, while basic medicines were accessible in just 41% of facilities. Shockingly, only one hospital met the 80% medicine availability benchmark. The situation was equally concerning for medical equipment, with only 84% of 60 essential devices in working condition. Just three hospitals achieved the 90% functionality target.
Doctor absenteeism remains a major issue, with 390 doctors reported unavailable in May 2025 alone—228 of them absent without leave. The report also included a list of permanently absent doctors from January 2023 to May 2025.
Patient inflow has declined, with an average of 847 outpatient (OPD) and 491 emergency cases daily. However, 14 hospitals saw a drop in OPD visits, while five recorded fewer emergency cases.
Cleanliness standards were dismal, with no hospital meeting the 90% target. Twelve district headquarters hospitals showed further deterioration in hygiene. Toilet availability was another concern, with only 81% found functional—eight hospitals had less than 90% working toilets.
Financial mismanagement was also uncovered. Despite an allocation of Rs 1.19 billion, Rs 1.21 billion was released, with some hospitals like DHQ Mardan and Haripur overspending by 138% to 178%, leading to unequal fund distribution.
Also read:Audit report exposes Rs 14.46 billion irregularities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
