KHYBER: Residents in the Loe Shalman area of Landi Kotal have resented the persistent delay in appointment of health staff at the basic health unit established years back.

Local elders told Dawn that Wali Mohammad Korona BHU was constructed some three years back and was also handed over the health department but it was still without doctors, paramedics and other related facilities.

They said that people were compelled to take their patients to district headquarters hospital in Landi Kotal, which was at a distance of over 25 kilometres from their area.

He said a handsome amount was spent over the construction of the building but unfortunately it was laying useless due to the negligence of the health department.

Meanwhile, the provincial ombudsman reprimanded the Khyber health officials for their negligence over the running of a community health centre (CHC) in Bara.

In response to a complaint submitted to the provincial ombudsman by village chairman Javed Khan Afridi regarding limited health facilities and shortage of medicines at the CHC, Habibullah Kalay, the ombudsman, directed the health officials to ensure presence of health

staff from 8am to 4pm, six days a week along with provision of sufficient quantity of free medicines as per the local population’s requirement.

Mr Afridi had also accused the health officials of intentionally concealing and reducing the number of local population in their bid to minimise the quantity of medicines required for the said CHC.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2025