MURREE: Over 8,000 people living in Phagwari, Murree, are facing lots of hardship as the only Rural Health Centre (RHC) in the area lacks basic facilities.

The RHC was established in early 60s to provide basic health facilities to the inhabitants of the area. The health centre also catered to people from AJK and adjoining areas of KP such as Berote Abbasiyan etc.

The RHC was considered to be the largest health facility in the area. But now it faces a host of problems. Currently, the health centre is functioning without basic facilities since the concerned department never paid any attention towards its maintenance. Owing to the absence of basic facilities, patients are forced to approach private medical centres.

Besides the shortage of specialist doctors, two posts of dressers, one post of X-ray technician, two posts of laboratory technician and three posts of sweepers and as many dispensers are vacant at the RHC.

In the absence of sweepers, the hospital waste could be been scattered on its premises. The stinking smell from the building is also causing inconvenience to the visitors as well as the hospital staff.

The X-ray machine, which was installed eight years ago, remains non-functional for the last five years after its power generator got damaged during heavy rains.

“We are receiving five to seven patients on a daily basis for X-ray. Due to the unavailability of the facility, we have to ask the patients to go to private medical centres,” said a senior doctor on the condition of anonymity. He said the hospital administration had lodged several complaints with the authorities concerned but to no avail.

Kamran Abbasi, the vice president of the PML-N youth wing Murree, added that due to the absence of specialist doctors and paramedics the hospital was unable to provide services to the residents.

The hospital has a well-equipped laboratory but there is no staff to run it. An ambulance, which was provided to the hospital 22 years ago, now needs an urgent replacement.

The authorities concerned should also fill the vacant posts of specialist doctors as well a surgeon who can carry out minor surgeries, he added.

Rehan Ahmed, a resident of Phagwari, said provincial minister for labour and manpower Raja Ashfaq Sarwar had assured the local people in 2009 that the vacant posts at the centre would be filled. However, there is no progress even after about five years.

Former nazim Haq Nawaz Abbasi, who is responsible for supervising the provincial government’s projects in Murree, admitted that there was a shortage of doctors and premedical staff in the centre.

“We have raised the issue with the executive director heath who has assured us that the vacant posts would be filled soon,” he added.

District health officer Dr Khalid Mahmood Randhawa said he was aware of all the vacant posts at the district and tehsil level. The provincial government has lifted the ban on recruitments so the department will soon advertise the vacant positions across the district, he added.

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2015

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