KARACHI, July 29: Most government-run basic health units (BHUs) and dispensaries in the rural areas of Sindh are without basic facilities and necessary equipment.

This was pointed out during a seminar titled “Provincial dialogue: role of district health monitoring committees for the betterment of health services in Sindh” organised by the Strengthening Participatory Organisations (SPO) here on Friday.

Health officers and representatives of community organisations of Matiari, Tando Mohammed Khan and Badin participated in the seminar.

The SPO informed the audience about the findings of a survey they conducted in these three areas of the province with the help of local community organisations and district governments.

The survey shows that besides unavailability of staff and equipment in several BHUs, it has been observed that there are no facilities of drinking water, sanitation and waiting rooms, especially for women visiting the facilities.

In the absence of these facilities the people, especially women visiting the units, undergo a great deal of suffering, the survey shows.

Those who spoke on the occasion included renowned child health specialist and chief of the Health and Nutrition Development Society (HANDS) Dr Abdul Ghaffar Billoo, health department special secretary Dr Suresh Kumar, executive district officer of community development department of Matiari district Qurban Ali Memon, Dr Zaid Jamali of Tando Mohammed Khan, regional head of the SPO of Karachi Elahi Bakhsh, Karachi SPO programme officer Rahima Panhwar and Sangrasi Programme Officer of the SPO of Hyderabad region Abdul Wahid.

In his keynote speech, Dr Billoo appreciated the SPO for its survey of the three districts and findings.

He said that 80 per cent health facilities were available, but there were gaps in the delivery of services.

The survey showed that there was a lack of coordination between the government and community people, he said.

“Why are we not finding its solutions? Primary healthcare is a human right which the community people do not get,” he said.

There were no lady health workers (LHWs) in Pakistans 45 per cent areas to help women, he added.

“It is our responsibility to provide health facilities in all areas. If the government does not have these plans, private partnerships should extend initiatives.”

He emphasised the need for strengthening of monitoring, supervision and evaluation system in the health sector.

In future the SPO should follow the health indicators while compiling findings in surveys in other districts, he added.

He said when the HANDS started 25 health centres, the government functionaries realised how the centres were functioning.

“We advised the government that we should have authority of hiring and firing so that we can improve government health facilities,” he said.

Dr Suresh Kumar said that the district health monitoring committees which collected these findings should be expanded to other districts to highlight problems and issues so that they could be addressed through a proper channel.

Elahi Bakhsh said during the focus group discussions district officers pointed out that the health units' staff usually remained absent and their performance was unsatisfactory.

Qurban Ali Memon appreciated the role of the SPO for its findings which would be shared with government functionaries at provincial level to improve the healthcare system.

The recommendations of the meeting included that a regular dialogue should be initiated to review these issues and proper action should be taken to resolve the same at the earliest.

It was stressed that coordination between all the stakeholders, including district governments, community and the civil society, should be strengthened.

Earlier, Rahima Panhwar in her welcome address said that the SPO focused on the Local Government Ordinance, 2001 which ensured community participation in all activities.

She said the SPO tried to collect information of communities to learn about their health and education problems and work with local communities, legislators and other stakeholders.