The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Foundation (HF) will undertake a feasibility exercise for installing MRI and CT scanners at several government hospitals under a public-private partnership initiative, officials said.
According to officials, MRI and CT scanners are proposed for District Headquarters hospitals in Charsadda, Haripur and Karak. CT scanners will also be installed at DHQ Hospital Upper Dir, Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Khwazakhela in Swat and Mian Rashid Hussain Shaheed Memorial Hospital in Pabbi, Nowshera.
The Health Department issued directives after receiving requests from hospitals, which said the lack of diagnostic facilities was forcing patients to travel to other cities for CT and MRI examinations.
Officials said requests were submitted by medical superintendents and district health officers. The Health Foundation will conduct feasibility studies to determine whether the hospitals require the requested equipment.
The assessment will consider population, existing infrastructure and availability of trained staff. The findings will then be presented to the advisory and technical committees before being submitted to the Health Foundation’s Board of Governors for approval.
HF Managing Director Dr Khizar Hayat said the initiative would constitute the second phase of outsourcing diagnostic services. He said the foundation had already completed the process for installing MRI and CT scanners at six government hospitals under the public-private partnership model.
Under the first phase, DHQ hospitals in Kohat, Swat, Batkhela and Malakand will receive both MRI and CT scanners. THQ Hospital Takhtbai in Mardan and a Category-D hospital in Gara Tajik, Peshawar, will receive CT scanners, while Timergara DHQ Hospital will be equipped with an MRI machine.
Dr Hayat said the initiative was part of the government’s health sector reforms aimed at expanding access to advanced diagnostic services, reducing patient referrals and lowering out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.
He said outsourcing was considered a viable option as several public hospitals, including medical teaching institutions, currently lack functional imaging services because of faulty or unavailable equipment.
Under the proposed arrangement, private partners will be responsible for financing, installing, operating and maintaining the CT and MRI facilities, as well as providing trained staff.
Dr Hayat said the government would not bear the cost of installing or operating the machines. However, it would monitor the facilities to ensure uninterrupted and quality diagnostic services at officially notified rates.
