UPPER DIR: A Category-D hospital in Patrak area of the remote Kohistan valley has an acute shortage of staff to the misery of the local residents.

During a session of the district council, councillor from Patrak union council Ziaur Rehman insisted that 13 sanctioned posts of doctors, including four specialists’, had long been lying vacant at the 40-bedded Patrak hospital.

He said eight medical officers were appointed to the hospital but they all had gone away after spending little time on duty.

The councillor claimed that 14 other staff members of the hospital, including medical technicians, had been doing duties in the offices of the DHO in Dir and others places.

He said a doctor of the hospital was doing duty in the rural health centre of a nearby Sheringal.

Mr Zia said the hospital was established to cater to Kohistan valley’s various areas, especially Patrak, Thal, Kalkot, Barikot, Byar, Gowaldi and Siyasan.

He said he recently visited the hospital and was shocked to learn from the people that not a single sugar, X-ray and other test had not performed there during the last three months.

The councillor said the staff members informed him about lack of funds for ambulance and generator fuel.

He wondered where Rs92,000 allocated in the district ADP for the hospital’s fuel expenditure were spent.

Mr Zia complained that a discriminatory attitude was being meted out towards the Patrak hospital as the Category-D hospitals in Brawal and Wari areas of Upper Dir had all required staff members, including doctors, technicians and paramedics.

He regretted that poor patients were made to pay for fuel of ambulance when they’re referred to other hospitals.

The councillor warned if the health department didn’t resolve the issue of staff shortage at the hospital, the local residents would take to the streets to protest the denial of healthcare.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2018