KP to set up pediatric emergency, telemedicine centres

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department has signed a Letter of Understanding (LoU) with the Child Life Foundation to establish pediatric emergency and telemedicine centres across the province. 
KP Health Minister Syed Qasim Ali Shah signed the LoU with Child Life Foundation CEO Ahsan Rabbani at a ceremony attended by Secretary Health Adil Shah, DG Health Dr. Muhammad Saleem, and other officials.
Speaking to media persons, the minister announced that the initiative would establish pediatric emergency centres staffed by pediatric specialists in hospitals across KP, to be made operational immediately. 
Through telemedicine centres, expert doctors will be available to provide treatment to children from any part of the province via video link.
"The children of the province deserve standard treatment, and we are taking every possible step to achieve this goal," said Shah. He added that the high load of child patients in KP, partly due to the presence of Afghan refugees, necessitates this initiative, which will benefit patients in the province and Afghanistan.
Mr Rabbani said the initiative would provide timely treatment facilities to children, significantly reducing the mortality rate. The telemedicine setup, staffed by FCPS pediatricians available 24/7, will be operational in all hospitals from tonight, he added. 
With around 14 years of experience, the Child Life Foundation's services in KP are expected to help reduce child mortality by providing timely emergency treatment.