RAWALPINDI: The Primary and Secondary Health Department has sought a report from the District Health Authority about non-completion of a project launched to convert 10 dispensaries in the city into mother and child filter clinics.

In 2012, the provincial government released Rs20 million for equipping the dispensaries with gynaecology equipment. The local administration was asked to appoint 20 female medical officers for the dispensaries in order to decrease patient load on the three government hospitals.

But the health authority appointed male doctors in the dispensaries and failed to utilise the machinery in three of the dispensaries.

PML-N’s former MNA Malik Shakil Awan told Dawn that he had brought the issue into the notice of Health Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir who sought the report from the health authority.

“It is very strange that the dispensaries were provided equipment for gynae wards but no female doctor was posted there to utilise them,” Mr Awan said.

He said the project was launched to decrease patient load on the three hospitals where a shortage of beds and other facilities forced patients to go to private clinics.

“The basic aim of the project was to ensure medical facilities to the citizens at the grassroots level but even after five years the work is not incomplete,” he said.

On the other hand, a senior official of the health authority said the project was started to convert the 10 dispensaries in the city areas of NA-55 into model mother and child health centres.

The dispensaries are located at Dhoke Ratta, Mohanpura, Dhoke Hassu, Dhoke Mangtal, Sarfaraz Road, Amarpura, Milat Colony, Akalgarh, Sirajia Park and Talee Mohallah.

He said the government provided 10 ultrasound machines, heartbeat detectors, gynae tables and equipment to the dispensaries but these were not installed in three of the dispensaries.

“The government planned to post 20 female doctors, 20 midwives and 20 health workers in the 10 dispensaries,” he said.

“The buildings of three dispensaries at Sirajia Park, Akalgarh and Amarpura were demolished for the construction of new buildings but work is yet to be started. The construction material is lying at the sites as officials of the health department paid no attention to start the work.”

He said that in Aug 2017 the dispensaries were handed over to the health authority after the merger of the district health department and the local government health branch. But the Lahore High Court (LHC) canceled the merger in September. He said the dispensaries should be handed back to the local government so that the project could be completed.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2017