CHARSADDA: People of Mandani union council have complained that the basic health unit (BHU) in their area has been without doctors and facilities for the last five years.

Talking to this correspondent, they criticised the health department and the district government for failing to provide doctors and support staff to the health care unit.

The local people, including Mehr Taj, Rahat Sayed, Niaz Ali and Noor Khan, said that owing to the lack of facilities and staff in the BHU they were compelled to take their patients to hospitals in other areas.

They claimed that the medical technician posted to the BHU was absent from duty for the last five months.

They said that the power transformer installed in the health care facility had been stolen two years ago, but the health department failed to arrange another one for the hospital.

The residents said that the people of Mandani and Shodaag localities depended on the BHU, but due the absence of doctors, staff and other facilities they were forced to go to far-off places for medical treatment.

They said that the poor people could not afford taking their patients in minor cases to hospitals in other areas.

They said that they had informed the authorities concerned of the poor state of affairs of the hospital, but no action was taken.

They demanded of the provincial government to take notice of the situation and provide staff and facilities in BHU Mandani.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2016