RAHIM YAR KHAN: Some Basic Health Units (BHUs) and Rural Health Centers (RHCs), renamed as Mariyum Nawaz Health Clinics (MNHCs) and Mariyum Nawaz Health Centers (MNHCs), are functional without required staff, medicines and electricity.

A few days ago a patient uploaded a video of MNHC Chak 173-P, of Tillu Road, in Sadiqabad tehsil. In the video, an unknown patient says there was no power and patients were in miserable condition due to hot and humid weather.

When he complained to the staff, he was told that there was another person who was the in-charge of the facility.

He further explains that the power supply had been suspended since 3pm and not restored till late night. When the patient went to the generator room, the operator refused to start the generator. Some other staff members were sleeping in the attached rooms.

The patient later reached the doctor’s room where the light was on but remaining center was in darkness.

A source in the health department said the government of Punjab had outsourced 105 BHUs in the district in three different phases from January to August this year. Similarly, more than 30 RHCs in the district were being outsourced. He said that initially the District Health Authority (DHA) was monitoring these clinics and centers. But, after being fully functional, an independent monitoring and evaluating directorate at Lahore will regulate these facilities.

The government of Punjab claims that after the start of these health clinics and centers, the people of far flung areas will get modern health facilities, including free medicines, pathological tests, ultrasound and emergency services round the clock.

But a senior DHA official told Dawn that these MNHCs and MNHCs were in transition phase. “When these facilities are outsourced, the private administration will save their expenses on staff and electricity.”

However, he admitted that the DHA was the monitoring department right now but because it was the special initiative of the chief minister, it could not take strict action against the staff of these health facilities.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2025