Ayub Teaching Hospital Cuts OPD to Five Days a Week

Ayub Teaching Hospital in Abbottabad has announced a reduction in its outpatient department operating schedule from six to five working days per week, a decision that raises concerns about access to healthcare for patients across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who rely on the facility as a major regional referral centre. The hospital cited internal administrative and resource factors in justifying the change.

Ayub Teaching Hospital serves a large and largely underserved population across Hazara Division and parts of tribal districts, making any reduction in service availability a matter of direct public health significance. OPD services are the primary point of first contact with the formal health system for many patients who cannot afford private healthcare.

The reduction comes amid broader concerns about healthcare funding and institutional capacity in KPK's public health sector. Civil society organisations and patient advocacy groups are expected to scrutinise the decision closely, given that the hospital provides critical specialist services not readily available elsewhere in the region.

Health authorities have not indicated whether the change is temporary or permanent, nor have they detailed alternative arrangements for patients who would previously have attended on the reduced day. The hospital management has yet to issue a public communication plan for affected patients.