ATTOCK, Feb 13: The Divisional Headquarters and five tehsil headquarters hospitals are among the 70 health institutions without medicines and emergency facilities ever since the introduction of the devolution plan.

The pathology, radiology, operation theatres and trauma centres in most of these are inoperative.

The task of procurement of medicines was assigned to the district government without envisaging a clear procedure. Even the tenders are lying useless at the EDO (health) office. Lack of coordination between the district government provincial health and finance department has brought the situation to such a chaos.

A survey conducted by this correspondent on Wednesday revealed the government had given deadline till Feb 28, 2002, to the EDO (health) for procurement of medicines.

The 70 institutions in Attock include the Divisional Headquarters Hospital, five tehsil headquarters hospitals in Hasanabdal, Fatehjhnag, Jand, Pindigheb and Hazro, 57 basic health units (BHUs), five rural health centres (RHCs), three dispensaries and four mother and child welfare centres.

The patients have been facing constant trouble at all the centres, complaining there was an artificial shortage of medicines for the poor while these were in abundance for the influential people.

They said there were no X-ray films, springs, bandages and life saving drugs for the treatment of accident cases, adding doctors asked them to buy these items from private drug stores.

Doctors and paramedical staff at different health centres, on the condition of anonymity, told that medicines and other items had not been provided to the indoor patients for long.

They said the district government had approved an amount of Rs7.34 million for the health department in 2001-2002 budget (mentioned on page 75) but without the approval of the Punjab Finance Department, district Nazim or EDO (health).

The provincial government had allocated a sum of Rs1.253 million against the requirement of Rs6.381 million during the previous year, an amount too meagre for even a THQ hospital, they said, adding bills of utilities and medicines had been held up for want of funds.

They maintained the matter was brought into the notice of the health secretary and finance secretary by the Attock EDO two weeks back, requesting them to empower him for issuance and approval. However, the authorities had not replied so far, they added.

When contacted, EDO (health) Dr Khalid Majeed said the procurement of the medicines at the district level was a new experience having confusions and restrictions. ‘We are trying to streamline the procurement procedure and hope the matter would be resolved soon after the negotiations with he bidders and purchasing committee under the supervision of the DCO.