GUJRAT: At least 12 of the total 13 basic health units in PP-108 (Karianwala, Tanda) constituency have been without a doctor for long while the lone Rural Health Centre has to its credit the services of only one doctor.

The approval for upgrading the Karianwala BHU to RHC has also been pending with departments concerned since long and the people of these areas have been left at the mercy of private hospitals and clinics.

The BHU at Sheikh Chugani village is blessed with an MBBS doctor whereas the remaining 12 BHUs, including that of Karianwala, a major town located in close proximity to the border of Azad Jammu and Kashmir from Gujrat side, have no qualified doctor.

According to a survey, barring dispensers and a few technicians no doctor has been posted at BHUs in Barrila Sharif, Surkhpur, Bhelowal, Chak Kamala, Barru, Hazara Mughlan, Jalalpur Sobtian, Hajiwala, Ajnala, Santal and Pero Shah of PP-108 constituency.

Nawabzada Haider Mehdi and his uncle Nawabzada Mazhar Ali Khan of the PML-N had been elected as MPA and MNA, respectively, from these areas in the last general elections.

MPA Haider Mehdi had got approved the funding for upgrading the Karianwala BHU to RHC from the Punjab government about a year back, but the execution of the project is still not started due some objections raised by the health department.

The boundary wall of the Karianwala BHU had also caved in during heavy rains some two months ago.

Voters of the constituency have urged the Punjab government to take notice of the matter and post of doctors at BHUs besides upgrading of the Karianwala BHU to the RHC level.

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2014