KP healthcare system faces acute shortage of doctors, hospital beds

A concerning shortage of healthcare facilities and medical staff has emerged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, highlighting significant gaps in the province’s healthcare system.

Only 8,024 doctors are available to serve the province’s population of more than 40 million, meaning there is approximately one doctor for every 5,000 to 6,000 people. The media report that the situation of state medical facilities in the entire province is also unsatisfactory, as more than 200 different types of state medical centers are unable to function. Public hospitals are also facing a serious shortage of clinical places. The report said that the public hospitals of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have a total of 18,432 beds and require about 64,000 beds to meet the health needs of the people of the province. This makes the bed gap about 45,568.

The report further highlights that the current number of doctors in the province is extremely low relative to its population, potentially making it difficult for patients to access medical consultations and treatment facilities.

Moreover, the closure of a large number of government healthcare centres is also hindering the provision of basic medical services to the public.

Meanwhile, Provincial Health Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Nigar Johar said during a briefing that the provincial government had decided to introduce amendments to the Medical Teaching Institutions (MTI) Act and conduct audits of government hospitals to improve the healthcare system.

She added that shortcomings in the Sehat Card programme would be addressed and the system further improved to ensure better access to healthcare services for the public. A shortage of doctors, non-functioning health centers and insufficient hospital beds remain major problems in the province, requiring government reforms and expansion of health facilities.