SHANGLA: Schools and health units damaged in 2005 earthquake are yet to be made operational in Shangla district despite their reconstruction by the Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority.

Construction of eight basic health units (BHUs) and some schools, including government girls higher secondary school Shang Besham, government girls high school Koz Kana Shapoor, government girls degree college Maira and girls degree college Chagam Puran, had been completed two years ago, but these institutions could not be made operational.

Ibadullah, a resident of Nasratkhel union council, told this correspondent that the BUH in his locality was completed in 2014 and handed over to the health department, but it had not been made functional as yet.

He said that people of the area had to go to other places for treatment of minor ailments.

Ali Khan, a resident of Dehrai Alpuri, said that the BHU in their village was constructed over two years ago, but it still was not provided medicines and staff to facilitate the people. Because of closure of these BHUs over 20,000 residents were affected as they had to take their patients to other far-off areas for treatment.

Kainat Bibi, 17, who lives in Koz Kana village, said that she had passed 8th grade examination, but couldn’t continue further studies because of unavailability of a high school.

“Girls want to get education, but there are no schools and colleges in our area,” she said and regretted that a large number of girls in her area had quit education owing to lack of facilities.

Abdul Tawab, a former project engineer of ERRA, claimed that the government was not serious in development of education and health facilities. He said that a large number of demolished schools were yet to rebuilt.

He said that in many cases the construction work had been left incomplete while several completed buildings weren’t yet made operational.

The residents have demanded of the provincial government to appoint staff and hand over the completed buildings to the relevant departments as soon as possible. When contacted, district health officer Dr Gul Bar said that they had submitted documents to the authorities to make BHUs functional by providing them with staff and medicines.

District nazim Niaz Amir Muqam claimed that he was in contact with the provincial government to appoint staff in those schools and hospitals as soon as possible.

He urged the government to take urgent measures for uplift of education and health facilities in Shangla district.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2016