SWABI: Employees of the district health office here have opposed the plan to shift their office from the Bacha Khan Hospital Complex (BKHC), Shahmansoor, to the civil hospital, Chota Lahor, and vacate the building for the hostel of Gajju Khan Medical College, Swabi.

Talking to this scribe here on Wednesday, the employees warned that they should not be forced to stage protest demonstrations and instead of shifting their office to a far-flung hospital it should be moved somewhere near the district offices at Shahmansoor.

They also suggested that the DHO office could be relocated to the eight-room child protection ward at the BKHC.

They claimed that they had found an eight-room building in the district headquarters and the owner was ready to give it on rent for the office.

The employees said that their old office at the district offices building at Shahmansoor had been given to the local finance department and it should be returned to them. The frustrated staff gathered in their office and discussed the matter.

It has been learnt that the provincial health minister and director health had asked DHO Dr Niaz Mohammad a week ago that their office would be converted into girls’ hostel of Gajju Khan Medical College and they would be given another office in Chota Lahor hospital.

However, the staff said that shifting of their office would create problems for them, especially for the female employees. The DHO office monitors numerous health activities in the district and it would be difficult for the staff such as lady health visitors, lady health workers and nursing staff to reach the office for any official work.

When contacted, DHO Dr Niaz said that they had planned to shift their office to Chota Lahor next week and the directives issued by the minister and director health would be followed.

Answering a question, he admitted that there would be transportation problem for the staff.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2017