KARACHI: The Government of Sindh has formally initiated the phased transfer of the management of all remaining Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities, including government dispensaries, to the People's Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI) Sindh.
The agreement was signed by Mr. Tahir Hussain Sangi, Secretary Health, Government of Sindh, and Mr. Muhammad Suleman Shaikh, Member, Board of Directors, PPHI Sindh. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, Minister for Health and Population Welfare Department, and Mr. Javed Ali Jagirani, Chief Executive Officer, PPHI Sindh.
According to an official notification issued by the Health & Population Welfare Department on June 30, 2026, all District Health Officers (DHOs) have been directed to hand over medicines, medical equipment, consumables, non-consumables, and other inventories of PHC facilities to PPHI Sindh through a jointly signed handing/taking-over process.
The notification instructs district health authorities to prepare and verify complete inventories before the transfer and submit joint handover reports to the Directorate General Health Services.
Officials stated that the agreement reflects the Government of Sindh's confidence in PPHI Sindh's proven capacity to deliver quality primary healthcare services and strengthen the province's primary healthcare system.
However, the move has generated concern among some Health Department officials and employees. Sources within the department believe the administrative responsibilities of District Health Officers could be significantly reduced following the transfer, with DHOs potentially retaining oversight mainly of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) and polio-related activities.
The development follows the omission of dispensary allocations from the Sindh Budget 2026–27, which had raised questions about the future management of primary healthcare facilities across the province.
Health Department employees have also expressed uncertainty regarding their future roles, as no official policy has yet been announced on the status, placement, or responsibilities of government staff currently serving at these facilities. The Health Department has not yet issued a detailed public statement addressing these concerns or outlining the long-term administrative framework following the transfer.
Meanwhile, PPHI Sindh has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening primary healthcare services and ensuring quality healthcare reaches communities across Sindh.
