HARIPUR: Despite tall claims of ensuring transparency and ending the deep-rooted culture of corruption in execution of development projects by the PTI-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the alleged substandard construction of Haripur Trauma Centre has been overlooked, which is delaying the opening of the long-awaited emergency healthcare facility to the local residents, official sources said.

The deficiencies were pointed out during a visit of an inspection team to the building of trauma centre by a team of doctors from the District Headquarters Teaching Hospital, Haripur, which would supervise the casualty/emergency-related affairs of the centre.

The DHQ hospital medical superintendent has also refused to take over the charge of the building.

According to a letter issued to executive engineer communication & works department, Haripur, on Dec 20, 2017, by DHQ hospital MS Dr Saifullah Khalid, the inspection team found 24 deficiencies in the civil works of the building, asking the department concerned to remove these at the earliest.

The copies of the letter were also sent to adviser to the CM on C&W, secretary health and the chief planning officer health.

According to the letter, both the entrance gates of the centre are small in size and of poor quality; the eastern side wall has not yet been constructed; electricity poles and a generator are installed at inappropriate places; car-parking is constructed in front of the main entrance which can cause hindrance in mobility of patients and staff, washrooms are without exhaust fans, overall ceiling of the building and drainage system is faulty, roofs are leaking, ceiling fans without fan boxes, and external wall is un-plastered at the plinth level.

Through the letter the MS also pointed out faults in the illumination, electrification and other facilities and asked the C&W department to remove the deficiencies without delay, but despite passage of 36 days, the authorities had yet to take the corrective steps.

The PTI government and the party’s local leadership are desperate in making the building operational before the general elections.

“Despite being the biggest revenue generating district the residents of Haripur remain deprived of emergency healthcare,” Naseer, a local businessman, lamented. He said death of four members of a family on a single day, last week, was because Haripur lacked emergency health services.

When contacted MS Dr Saifullah Khalid confirmed that he had communicated the findings of his visit to the trauma centre to the relevant authorities. He said he could not take over the charge of the building unless it was completed as per its design.

He said installation of machinery and appointment of staff of the trauma centre were also pending.

C&W executive engineer Allah Yar Khan told Dawn that the construction work was completed in the supervision of a consultant and that a few deficiencies noted by the MS DHQ would be removed within a week.

CM’s adviser Akbar Ayub had laid the foundation stone of the building on Oct 4, 2015, which was to be completed within 12 months. However, Chief Minister Pervez Khatak inaugurated the yet-to-be-completed building on Jan 13, this year.

The provincial government spent Rs60 million on the centre while Rs35 million were allocated for purchase of machinery, official sources said.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2018