KOHAT: Shortage of technical and medical staff at the 41 basic health units, including two category D hospitals across Kohat district, is putting extra burden on the two major category B facilities in the city.

District health officer Dr Musharraf Khan, when contacted, told Dawn on Sunday that they had asked the provincial health department for appointment of staff to end the severe shortage of workforce, but the finance department was the main hurdle as it was not approving the funds meant for payment of salaries and meeting running expenses.

Dr Musharraf said they had watchmen at only three health centres in tehsils of Kohat, Lachi and Gumbat, and there were no guards at the remaining 38 centres for protection of staff. He said at the BHU level there was one doctor and one lady health visitor, whereas in RHCs only five doctors (both male and female), an LHV and a technician were working.

To a question about complaints that the patients had to go to the main hospitals due to only one shift at these basic and rural health centres, he said they had no funds to operate the staff for 24 hours.

Rashid Bokhari, president of paramedics association, told Dawn that in Urban-III area of Junglekhel in the city they had only one civil dispensary for a population of over 75,000 people.

He said the government had decided to privatise all health facilities by July 1, 2019, which was an injustice with the poor. He appealed to the district council to raise voice against the new system.

POLICE ACCUSED OF TAKING BRIBE: The heirs of a slain alleged proclaimed offender have accused their rivals of bribing the police to kill the man in a fake encounter.

Nobat Khan, the brother of killed PO Azmatullah, and his mother, told journalists at Kohat Press Club on Sunday that his brother was working in the mountains with his teenage brother on April 9 when the encounter took place.

Mujahidullah, who was also mentioned in the FIR after the encounter, was also present at the meeting, while Sajidullah, who was injured, was in prison, they said.

Nobat Khan questioned how a small boy could use hand grenades and carry Kalashnikov, as had been alleged in the FIR.

He demanded a high-level inquiry and registration of FIRs against the district police officer and SHO Qismat Khan who allegedly took bribe from their enemy named Dost Mohammad.

Meanwhile, a police statement said Azamatullah was a PO wanted in several cases of attempted murder and firing on people.

It said when police asked him to surrender he opened fire at the police which was retaliated in which Azamatullah was killed and his brother Sajidullah, a class 6th student, was injured.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2019