Health Sector — Dera Ismail Khan Division
Three districts — Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, and South Waziristan (Upper & Lower) — facility overview, major hospitals, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) health budget context.
Facilities (division total)
Population served~3.19 millionDera Ismail Khan Division has a network of health facilities serving a population of approximately 3.19 million (2023 Census), with core public sector institutions facing strain due to geography, post-conflict recovery, and resource limitations.
Figures include functional units per the KP Health Department and PBS reports. Additional primary and auxiliary units — including upgrades in the merged district of South Waziristan — bring coverage higher than the core counts above.
This data covers the entire Dera Ismail Khan Division (3 districts).
Facility breakdown by type and district (approximate)
| Facility type | Division total | Dera Ismail Khan | Tank | South Waziristan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DHQ Hospitals | 3–4 | 1–2 | 1 | 1–2 |
| THQ Hospitals | 8–10 | 4–5 | 2–3 | 2–3 |
| RHCs (Rural Health Centers) | 30+ | 20+ | 5–7 | Variable |
| BHUs (Basic Health Units) | 150+ | High | 70–80 | Lower |
| Dispensaries / MCH etc. | Variable | Significant | Limited | Post-merger focus |
Ranges reflect reported approximations by the KP Health Department and PBS; qualitative terms (High / Lower / Variable) are used where the source does not give a precise count.
Facility types — division counts (approx.)
Chart uses upper-bound / representative values for the reported ranges (DHQ 3–4, THQ 8–10, RHC 30+, BHU 150+).
DHQ & THQ by district (approx.)
Dera Ismail Khan hosts the largest concentration of secondary care facilities in the division.
District facility counts — baseline profile data
The table below reflects earlier district health-profile baselines and is included for additional context; totals may differ from the current KP Health Department / PBS division-wide estimates above.
| District | Govt. Hospitals | Private Hospitals | RHC / CHC | BHU | Dispensaries | MCH | Total facilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dera Ismail Khan | 12 (705 beds) | 16 (976 beds) | 3 (72 beds) | 41 | 42 | 7 | 121 (1,753 beds) |
| South Waziristan | 10 (360 beds) | 4 | 16 | 56 | 2 | 88 | |
| Tank | DHQ: 1 | THQ: 0 | — | — | — | — | Data limited |
Featured facilities
DHQ Hospital Dera Ismail Khan
The main secondary/tertiary referral hospital for Dera Ismail Khan District and the wider division, handling a high daily OPD and emergency load.
Bed Strength: 300–400+ beds.
Specialties: General Medicine, Surgery, Gynecology & Obstetrics, Pediatrics, Emergency/Trauma, and basic diagnostics.
Support Services: Laboratory, Radiology, Pharmacy, Operation Theatre (OT), and Emergency department.
Tank DHQ / THQ Hospital
A limited but functional DHQ/THQ facility serving Tank District and adjacent populations.
Bed Strength: 80–100+ beds.
Focus: Basic and emergency care for the local population and surrounding communities.
South Waziristan Category-A Hospital
An upgraded facility for South Waziristan (Upper & Lower), alongside ongoing Basic Health Unit (BHU) rehabilitation across the merged district.
Bed Strength: Category-A hospital with 350 beds planned/functional.
Focus: Post-merger infrastructure recovery, alongside rehabilitation of Basic Health Units (BHUs) across the district.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health budget (context)
Provincial health allocations support district facilities across Dera Ismail Khan Division, with particular emphasis on the uplift of merged districts such as South Waziristan. Despite this support, high patient loads, specialist shortages, and access issues in remote and post-conflict areas remain persistent challenges for the division.