MINGORA: The local residents have said that there is no lady doctor and labour room in any of the 41 basic health units (BHUs) in Swat owing to which women patients face difficulties.

The residents of different villages demanded of the authorities to provide lady doctors, labour rooms and other facilities to the health units.

The villagers said that they had to either go to Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospitals or private clinics for treatment of ailments. The residents of Shawar village in Matta said that there was a single BHU for about 10,000 people that also lacked facilities and staff.

They said that they had to go to tehsil hospital located at a distance of 15 kilometrws. “We have a single doctor in our BHU, which has no medicines,” said Aman Khan, a resident of the village. He added that the BHU had neither a lady doctor nor labour room. There is also a single BHU for about 40,000 residents of Gwalerai village and its suburbs. The BHU, according to locals, lacks facilities.

“We don’t have a single doctor in the BHU and have to go to Matta tehsil hospital or Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospital for treatment,” said Johar Iqbal, a resident of Gwalerai.

Locals say there is no lady doctor and labour room in any of 41 BHUs

He said that most of the villagers were poor and could not afford to visit private clinics.

Similarly, the residents of Rahatkot village in Matta tehsil said that the local BHU lacked facilities and they had to go to Saidu Teaching Hospital for medical treatment. They said that there was no lady doctor and labour room in the BHU.

According to health department, there were 41 BHUs in 65 union councils of Swat. Each BHU has about nine staffers including one doctor, two lady health vistors, one midwife and Class-IV employees.

“A BHU is established for a village of about 12,000 population. The working hours of the BHU are from 9am to 5pm.,” said Shah Wali, an official of health department. He added that the BHU remained closed in the night.

The official said that health department had demanded of government to set up labour rooms in 10 BHUs that would be functional for 24 hours.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2020