SHANGLA: Local residents have complained about lack of basic facilities and doctors in the tehsil headquarters hospital, Puran.

They said the health centre named as Pir Mohammad Khan Shaheed Hospital, Puran, lacked necessary equipments, life-saving drugs and specialist doctors, adding people of Puran, Martung and Makhozi were dependant on the hospital.

Sources in the hospital admitted to lack of even basic items like like bandages, gloves and sterilisers, which are usually used in providing first aid to patients. They added that the hospital also lacked facilities for carrying out tests for various diseases.

Fazalullah, a local resident, said serious patients needing to be put on oxygen were referred to other hospitals as the tehsil hospital had no such facility.

He recalled that a few patients suffering from HIV Aids, hepatitis B and C died as the hospital didn’t have treatment for such patients. He said the government should equip the hospital with equipment, medicines and doctors.

Bakht Biland, a resident of Makhozi, said during operations attendants of patients were asked to purchase surgical items, adding the hospital had no specialist doctor and surgeon, nor did it have a blood bank.

Due to lack of attention by the authorities, situation in the hospital is worsening by the day, Sher Ali of Martung told Dawn.

Javed Ali, a local PTI leader, criticised his party for taking no interest in streamlining the affairs of hospitals in Shangla. District health officer Shafiul Mulk said in-charge of the hospitals, which were short of medicines, should submit a request to the DHO office.

WITHDRAWAL OF CUSTOMS ACT CELEBRATED: PML-N workers held a demonstration at ALpuri Chowk on Tuesday to celebrate the withdrawal of Customs Act from Malakand division. District nazim Niaz Ahmed Amir Muqam, MPA Rashad Khan, PML-N district president Intikhab Alam, general secretary Bakht Alam, Alpuri Tehsil Nazim Mohammad Tahir Khan and others spoke on the occasion, and expressed their happiness over the rolling back of the law.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2016