RAJANPUR, Aug 12: Small towns in the Punjab, particularly the Rajanpur tehsil, lack basic health facilities.

This is despite of the fact that political stalwarts of these areas, including the Legharis, the Dreshaks and the Mazaris, have been ruling the country and are still in the government.

At least 85 per cent deaths occur for the absence of doctors particularly the lady doctors in hospitals and shortage of life-saving medicines. In fact, the presence of lady doctors in hospitals is a rare event.

The last month’s episode in which a man along with his five accomplices had shot dead his wife in Rojhan, reflects the worst state of health facilities in government hospitals.

Heirs of the victim at first took her to Rojhan THQ Hospital and then to Mithan Kot on a tractor-trolley for post-mortem, but the lady doctors on both the places were found absent.

After 48 hours of futile exercise, the heirs brought the dead body to the court of Rajanpur district and sessions judge on whose orders the post-mortem of the woman was conducted at Jampur Hospital.

Finally, the medically-examined body of the woman returned to her house after covering a long distance of some 300 kilometres in 55 hours.

Similarly, Rojhan DSP Naveed Akram, injured by dacoits in a shootout, had lost his life due to the absence of a surgeon and necessary operation equipment at the Rajanpur hospital.

Citizens and social circles have urged the authorities concerned to equip hospitals in backward areas with required doctors, para-medical staff and necessary medicines.