Maqsood Hussain
Gilgit-Baltistan’s dramatic mountains draw visitors from around the world. But the same geography that inspires awe also leaves many residents far from basic healthcare. The question of health is rapidly developing. For the nearly two million residents living across 732 remote villages, access to hospitals and specialist care often remains uncertain and expensive due to soaring inflation. In short, it is painful for citizens; coupled with the harsh climate, it fuels local resentments due to technical ignorance and bureaucratic sluggishness.
The problem is structural. Communities in Shigar, Khaplu, Kharmang, Roundu, Nagar, Darel, Tangir, and Astore are separated by long distances, fragile roads, and harsh winters. When a medical emergency occurs, patients sometimes travel hundreds of kilometres to reach major hospitals in Islamabad or Rawalpindi. For many families, the costs of travel, accommodation, and treatment can become overwhelming and unaffordable. Community houses in Rawalpindi and Lahore are crowded with patients. Furthermore, in extreme situations, Army helicopter rescues are used in areas such as Gultari, Shilla, Shigar, and Chorbat.
Healthcare in mountainous regions requires a different model of governance and service delivery. Traditional hospital-centred systems designed for urban populations cannot easily serve remote valleys where communities are dispersed, and transportation remains difficult. Gilgit-Baltistan’s health sector needs innovation, decentralisation, and stronger institutional support.
Amid these challenges, individual initiatives show that progress is possible. One notable example is Dr Sikander Hayat Khan, a pioneering surgeon whose contributions extend beyond hospital walls and have produced positive results in GB.
Dr Sikander Hayat Khan belongs to Sermik Valley of Skardu. He graduated from King Edward Medical University in 1962 and later received advanced surgical training in the United Kingdom. During his career, he established surgical departments at Polyclinic Hospital and the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, training thousands of surgeons who now serve in Pakistan and abroad.
After retiring in 1998, he returned to Baltistan and founded the Zubeda Khaliq Memorial Hospital (ZKMH) in Sermik—a modest fifty-bed facility providing free treatment to underserved communities. Over time, the initiative expanded into a network of two hospitals with around 120 beds, ten dispensaries, and four mobile hospitals serving remote areas. In a single year, ZKMH recorded approximately 350,000 patient check-ups.
The network not only treats illness but also trains local health workers and midwives, creates employment, and strengthens community-based healthcare. By involving local residents, it has improved trust and awareness of preventive healthcare, particularly maternal and child health.
Such efforts highlight an important lesson: sustainable healthcare systems must be rooted in local communities.
However, philanthropic initiatives alone cannot resolve structural challenges. The region still faces shortages of specialist doctors, diagnostic facilities, and modern equipment. Most specialists remain concentrated in urban centres like Gilgit and Skardu, leaving remote districts underserved. Recently, journalist M. Ali Aalam raised concerns over postings of elite doctors in urban centres while neglecting remote hospitals.
This imbalance leads to delayed diagnoses and inadequate maternal and neonatal care, forcing families to travel long distances and bear heavy financial burdens.
A long-term solution lies in strengthening medical education within the region. The proposal for a medical college in Skardu deserves serious consideration. Dr Sikander Hayat Khan has expressed support, recognising that local training institutions are essential for sustainable healthcare development. The gap between aspiration and reality must be addressed.
A medical college would train doctors familiar with local health challenges and reduce dependence on distant cities. It could also evolve into a research hub for high-altitude medicine and rural healthcare.
However, such an initiative requires strong collaboration between the federal government, private philanthropists, and non-governmental organisations. Integrated systems—linking hospitals, research, and training—have proven effective internationally, as seen in the United Kingdom’s National Health Service.
Gilgit-Baltistan needs a similar ecosystem where education, service delivery, and research reinforce each other.
Another key issue is governance. Effective reform requires coordination across government levels. The caretaker Health Minister, Dr Niaz Ali, brings relevant experience, but financial constraints remain a major challenge. Many hospitals still lack medicines, equipment, and trained staff. Without stronger support, progress may stagnate.
At the same time, innovation can help bridge gaps. Telemedicine can connect remote clinics with specialists, mobile units can deliver diagnostics, and solar-powered clinics can ensure reliable services.
Another concern is the misuse of medicines. Doctors often prescribe unnecessary drugs, especially antibiotics, due to patient expectations or commercial pressures. Dr Sikander Hayat Khan has emphasised responsible prescribing based on accurate diagnosis.
This is particularly important in remote areas where patients have limited resources. Unnecessary medication wastes money and contributes to antimicrobial resistance.
Ultimately, healthcare in Gilgit-Baltistan is linked to broader issues of development and equity. Individual efforts can drive change, but lasting progress requires institutional commitment. The example of Dr Sikander Hayat Khan shows what vision can achieve. Policymakers must now build on such foundations to ensure that quality healthcare becomes accessible in every valley.
The writer a student at Quaid-e-Azam University, originally from Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan.
