GILGIT, Sept 2: The Civil Hospital in Karimabad, Hunza, is facing lack of proper facilities like X-ray and laboratory.

The 15-bed hospital has been meeting the requirements of over 60,000 people of Hunza and surrounding areas, but the reported removal of X-ray machine from the hospital and the surrender of the ambulance have caused inconvenience to the poor patients.

The area people told APP that medicines were also not available in the hospital and patients were compelled to purchase them from the market.

The health directorate of Northern Areas, Gilgit, is least bothered to overcome the problems being faced by the patients despite the fact the federal government is providing enough funds for the provision of better health facilities to patients, patients in the hospital and area people complained.

Foreign tourists also visit the hospital in case of illness and they also face treatment problems due to lack of proper medical facilities.

The area people have appealed to Federal Health Minister Mohammad Nasir Khan and Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao to take notice of the situation and direct the authorities concerned to solve the problems of the hospital immediately.

The people have also appealed to the authorities concerned to establish a laboratory in the hospital so that poor patients could get proper medical treatment at their doorsteps.—APP