MANSEHRA: The people of Ghanool union council of Balakot are deprived of health facilities as the local basic heath unit, which was destroyed in the 2005 earthquake, has yet to be reconstructed.

The health unit located in Khola village has been running in a tent, where deliveries are conducted in a small shelter in highly unhygienic conditions.

“We receive about 50 antenatal and postnatal cases on daily basis, but cannot provide proper services owing to non-existence of a building of the health unit,” said Azra Rafique, a lady health visitor.

She said as the unit was being run in a tent with two small side shelters, it had no labour room, resultantly female patients suffered a lot. She added that due to absence of antenatal and postnatal facilities, deliveries were handled by unskilled attendants, leading to deaths in remote villages.

Ms Rafique said that though she had been visiting nearby villages to convince people to take their females to the BHU, they refused to do so. She said that men didn’t like to send their females to the health unit because of lack of a proper building and other facilities.

Meanwhile, local prayer leader, Maulana Mohammad Abdul Qadir, said that the issue had been taken with the local lawmakers and Erra and PERRA, but no step was taken to reconstruct the health centre.

He said that local lawmakers were only benefiting their near and dear ones, and had no concern for the area people.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2015

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