PESHAWAR: Health experts have demanded that the government to make operational the province’s first-ever children hospital forthwith.
They made the demand while speaking at a function held at the Khyber Institute of Child Health (KICH), Hayatabad, on November 22.
The event was organised by Pakistan Paediatric Association (PPA), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter, in collaboration with the Unicef, in connection with Children’s Day.
Addressing the ceremony, PPA provincial president Dr Syed Bawar Shah said KICH’s affiliated 200-bed hospital should be made operational as there was no dedicated child health facility in KP.
The 200-bed facility affiliated with Khyber Institute of Child Health
He said the event aimed to highlight the rights, well-being, education, and protection of children and to strengthen advocacy for child-focused policies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Dr Shah said that the hospital had already been completed and the government should operationalise it early next year.
The PPA’s head said that children deserved the best possible healthcare in a safe environment.
On the occasion, Unicef representative Dr Inamullah Khan highlighted the sorry state of affairs regarding child health in the country, especially in KP, and extended his organisation’s fullest support to ensure child rights.
He remarked that a high neonatal mortality rate and malnutrition, including stunting, and a low immunisation coverage rate, were some of the pressing challenges in Pakistan.
The event featured engaging performances that celebrated the talent and creativity of children, who delivered speeches, performed tableaus, and participated in quiz and songs competitions, highlighting children’s perspectives regarding their rights to health, education and protection.
Children also touched upon the themes of social harmony and environmental protection.
Former senator and senior paediatrician Prof Mehr Taj Roghani delivered an emotional but inspirational speech discussing child rights and the importance of supportive state policies. She lamented the fact that the successive governments had not prioritised child health and protection.
According to her, it was a matter of great concern that KICH’s children hospital was yet to be made operational, and requested the health department to take immediate steps so that the children hospital may start functioning by January 2026.
Prof Abdul Hameed, former head of child health department at Khyber Medical College, narrated the struggle towards establishing a state-of-the-art children hospital in Peshawar. He said that the Children’s Day provided them with a platform to reiterate their commitment to realising the rights of all children in Pakistan.
Special secretary health Khaliq Pervaiz highlighted the government’s ongoing commitment to child health reforms, improving immunisation coverage, and strengthening paediatric services across the province.
He assured the participants that all necessary steps would be undertaken to operationalise the children hospital by January 2026.
Dr Mohammad Athar Khalily, PPA’s general secretary, thanked the participants, the partner organisations, media, and schools for making the event a success. He also emphasised the continued need for advocacy and child-centered healthcare initiatives.
Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2025.
