NAUSHAHRO FEROZE, Jan 5: Healthcare for thousands of residents of Darya Khan Mari town and its surrounding villages is at nought because of the absence of doctors at the Rural Health Centre, save a female practitioner. Sometime back, the only male doctor Mureed Hussain Hisbani working at the centre was also transferred.

People are in quandary for want of medical professionals and have demanded of the government to immediately order posting of doctors here, and also call back transferred Dr Hisbani at the RHC Darya Khan Mari.

Patients told Dawn that the authorities were not responding to their woes even though they had, at so many occasions, demanded posting of doctors at the centre.

The District Health Officer, Dr Ali Gohar Dahri confirmed that only a female doctor was working at the RHC Darya Khan Mari.

When questioned, he said that although three positions, one of medical superintendent and two of senior medical officers, were sanctioned for the RHC but the required strength could not be achieved because of the shortage of professionals.

Dr Zulfiqar was also working at the centre but had gone on one-year leave, he said.

The DHO said that he had sent letters to director general health services and secretary health for posting of more doctors, and was still waiting for a reply.