KHYBER: The members of civil society, tribal elders and elected councillors have demanded ‘real’ upgradation of district headquarters hospital Landi Kotal along with creation of BPS-19 posts in the health facility.

The demands were made at a well-attended gathering organised by Tanzeem-i-Naujawanan Landi Kotal at Hospital Chowk.

Speaking on the occasion, president of the youth organisation Saeed Shinwari said that although government had upgraded the hospital to Category-A in 2009, yet it still lacked the required facilities.

He said that new blocks were constructed since its upgradation and new machinery worth millions of rupees was also purchased but unfortunately patients with only cough, fever and flu were treated in it while people seeking specialised treatment were mostly referred to Peshawar.

Mr Shinwari said that a large number of Afghan patients were also treated in the hospital along with locals but the standard of patient care and health facilities was very poor.

The newly-elected chairman of Landi Kotal tehsil council, Shah Khalid said on the occasion that more than 1,000 patients daily got the OPD chits but most of them were referred to private laboratories for tests and X-rays as machines at the hospital laboratory could not be operated properly owing to shortage of qualified technical staff.

He said that female patients were facing more problems due to the absence of a lady doctor at the OPD and a gynecologist in the labour room.

“A number of pregnant women die on their way to Peshawar due to absence of a gynecologist and lack of facilities in the labour room,” he added.

He said that a committee of women councillors would be formed soon to sort out issues faced by female patients in the hospital.

Nisar Afridi, a social worker, alleged that the newly-purchased dialysis machine was still lying in the hospital store without being utilised while the hospital had a list of at least 20 kidney patients requiring dialysis.

“All these kidney patients travel to Peshawar for dialysis on their own as they are not treated here despite having a dialysis machine,” he added.

He said that most of the surgeries were conducted in the nearby private hospitals or patients were sent to Peshawar. He demanded immediate activation of the hospital operation theatre to benefit patients.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2022