The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to provide medical laboratories and ultrasound facilities at the Basic Health Units (BHUs) of hilly areas however areas having Rural Health Centers (RHCs) and tehsil headquarters hospitals will not get the same facilities at their BHUs. According to official sources on Tuesday, letters have been issued to all the district health officers and medical superintendents of the targeted areas for the provision of urgent diagnostic laboratories and ultrasound at their medical facilities. The move will discourage the trend of referring patients to the RHCs, THQs, and DHQs for medical tests and ultrasounds. At the RHCs, at least one medical officer will be deputed to treat the patients. To minimize the burden on big hospitals of Peshawar and other cities, the provincial government has also decided to establish an operation theater, ECG, ultrasound, and lab test laboratory at every RHC and THQ. Under the Chief Minister’s directive, it has also been decided to strictly maintain the duty roster of all the doctors and nursing staff and its proper implementation.