KP Government Launches Medical Officer Hiring Drive to Boost Healthcare Services
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has announced a major initiative to recruit medical officers on fixed salaries to address the ongoing shortage of healthcare professionals across key districts, including Mardan, Upper Dir, Batkhela, and Haripur.
To ensure transparency and fairness in the recruitment process, the Health Department has formed a district-level grievance redressal committee. The committee will be chaired by the Special Secretary of Health, and will include the Additional Secretary Health, Director HRM, and Section Officer E-2.
Candidates who have complaints regarding the recruitment process are encouraged to submit written applications along with evidence by August 10. The department clarified that no complaints will be accepted after the deadline.
Transparent Hiring to Restore Public Confidence
According to the Health Department, this transparent recruitment strategy aims to restore candidates’ trust and improve access to quality healthcare services in underserved regions.
The province has long struggled with a shortage of doctors, especially in District Headquarters Hospitals (DHQs). In response, the government has started hiring 115 medical officers and 51 consultants on a contract basis to activate specialized medical units and improve healthcare delivery.
Local Candidates to Get Priority
A key policy feature of the recruitment process is that preference will be given to candidates from the same district. Doctors will be appointed to specific hospitals to minimize future transfers and ensure local service continuity.
The province’s Health Advisor, who approved the initiative, emphasized that the effort not only opens up new job opportunities for doctors but also enables patients to receive treatment closer to home, reducing the need for long-distance travel.
More Specialist Doctors to be Hired Soon
In addition to the current recruitment, the provincial government is fast-tracking the hiring of 600 specialist doctors through the Public Service Commission to fill critical gaps in district-level services. Moreover, 248 long-vacant management cadre positions in the Health Department are also being filled.
In a positive development, the Provincial Doctors Association has welcomed the government’s efforts, noting that many of these posts had remained unfilled for years. Responding to the association’s request, the Health Advisor approved a five-year age relaxation, increasing the maximum age limit from 32 to 37 years to allow more candidates to apply.
This initiative is seen as a major step forward in strengthening healthcare infrastructure in KP and ensuring better access to medical care for communities in remote areas.
