The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government is preparing to extend its privatisation drive to the health sector, planning to hand over 58 hospitals across 22 districts to the private sector under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.

According to documents of the provincial health department, Peshawar tops the list with five hospitals, while four each in Nowshera, Karak and Mansehra will also be transferred.

The move comes as part of the provincial strategy to expand PPP arrangements after experimenting with schools and colleges.

Adviser to the KP Health Department, Ehtisham Ali, told Aaj News that 19 hospitals are already functioning under the PPP model and “the results so far have been excellent.”

He said the government intends to bring all 58 hospitals under the same arrangement while ensuring transparency through a new digital monitoring system.

Ali added that the initiative was aimed at improving health services delivery and ensuring accountability.

“We are introducing a comprehensive digital mechanism to keep strict checks on the privatised hospitals,” he said.