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PESHAWAR, Apr 25 (APP):The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Care Commission (KP HCC) has registered a total of 19,612 health care establishments (HCEs) during the period of last three years (April 2022-April 2025).
In comparison, only 7,717 facilities were registered in 2022. Although the Health Regulatory Authority was established in 2002, no licenses were issued to any HCE in the first 20 years. However, over the past three years, the licensing process has formally begun, which involves several stages before a facility is granted a license.
During this period, 82 HCEs received full licenses, and 519 HCEs were issued provisional licenses. Additionally, 2,431 HCEs were sealed due to various violations, and 3,131 complaints submitted by the public were addressed in accordance with the Commission’s regulations.
Furthermore, 38,443 HCEs were geo-tagged, and 907 staff members from different HCEs were trained on “Minimum Service Delivery Standards”.
According to Dr. Shefa Haider, a spokesman of the commission officers and staff achieved these milestones through relentless effort despite limited resources. Major achievements include the digitization of the registration process, geo-tagging of HCEs, ensuring quality compliance, and taking fearless action against quacks.
The licensing process is rigorous. It begins with staff training on healthcare quality standards, followed by a grace period to implement these standards at their facility. The Commission’s goal is not policing, but to enable health institutions to provide quality services to patients, Dr. Shefa added.
The next step is a formal assessment of the facility, conducted by a team of renowned experts from across the province. If a facility fails the first assessment, it is given a second chance in accordance with the law. The objective is to improve the overall quality of healthcare services. Sealing is only carried out in cases of major violations, Dr. Shefa told.
In summary, registration is the foundational step, while licensing is a comprehensive and multi-stage process. Over the last three years, the Commission has conducted 258 assessments for licensing, marking a significant achievement in the Commission’s efforts to improve healthcare standards in the province.