SHANGLA: People here have complained about lack of basic facilities and specialist doctors at the tehsil headquarters hospital, Bisham.

The THQ hospital, Bisham, is the only health facility along the Karakoram Highway which is visited by patients from Chilas, Kohistan, Allai tehsil of Battagram and other adjoining areas.

Taj Nabi, a patient, said that he had to buy medicines from a private store after visiting the outpatient department of the hospital.

Male nurse Akhter Rasool told this correspondent that even glows, saline drips, bandage, etc were not available to them in the emergency and in such a situation it was impossible to provide first aid to the patients in case of emergency.

People have to take their patients to Swat, Abbottabad

“We don’t have any delivery kit or equipment in the labour room,” said Shafia, a worker at the labour room. She said that availability of ultrasound machine and surgical equipment was essential to save the lives of patients.

“We are referring at least 20 delivery patients on daily basis to hospitals in Swat and Abbottabad because of unavailability of facilities here,” she said.

A lab technician said that the hospital laboratory was even short of slides for blood test and urine bottles. “I have repeatedly submitted the list of required items to the office of district health officer, but the items have not been sent so far,” he said.

Dr Jamal said that the hospital lacked tools for treating dental patients therefore majority of them preferred to visit private clinics.

Dr Khalil told this scribe that posts of a surgeon, orthopaedic specialist and 28 medical officers had been vacant at the hospital for the last about a decade. He said that shortage of X-ray film and medicines was a recurring phenomenon.

He said that the government should provide drips, OPD slips and medicines and other items needed for treatment in emergency cases.

Talking mediapersons here on Saturday, Butyal nazim Guldad Khan warned the provincial government that if the requirements of the hospital were not fulfilled they would stage an agitation on the Karakoram Highway.

When contacted, district health officer Dr Gul Bar Khan confirmed the shortage of doctors and medicines in the hospital.

He said the he had sent a list of the required medicines and equipment to the provincial authorities concerned. He claimed that the medicines would reach the hospital in a day or two.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2016