UC Dhaman Saidan: Mini-hospital opened in haste lacks basic facilities

It has labour room but expecting mothers are sent to other hospitals for delivery

RAWALPINDI: A basic health facility locally termed as mini-hospital was completed in haste by the previous government to win over the electorate in UC Dhaman Saidan on Adiyala Road, however, it was still lacking the basic facilities of staff and medicines.

The adage haste makes waste proved correct in the case of mini-hospital constructed in UC Dhaman Saidan with project cost of Rs5 billion but it practically failed in providing medical facilities to the local people.

Area residents say that the PML-N regime got the eight-room hospital inaugurated to take credit for only the elections otherwise the health centre does not even have the required staff.

A lady doctor, mid-wife and a lady health visitor have been deputed here temporarily, while the seat of dispenser is empty.

Although the facility has basic medicines for cold and flu, vaccinations for mothers and children and examination room for expecting women, antibiotics and many other drugs are absent. Besides laboratory, ultra sound and delivery facilities are not present. Delivery rooms and wards are locked. Due to lack of medical aid facilities the number of patients visiting facility is near to non-existent. In this regard, during one-hour presence of Express News team not a single patient visited the facility.

The boundary of the mini-hospital has yet to be cosntructed in addition to the parking area. There are no arangements for drinking water due t which the staff has to buy bottled water or bring it from home.



Ignored clinic

Constructing buildings to cut the strings on inauguerations seemed to be the hallmark of the past government.

Another basic health facility constructed in past with an investment of Rs17.50 billion near the facility was in ruins.

It has now been changed into a store while the construction work of building to house staffers of the mini hospital has been stopped till the new government takes over and sanctions funds.

Meanwhile in the mini-hospital, Dr Iqra told Express News that she and the deputed staff comes each day on duty.

“We are still waiting for the sanctioned staff for the mini-hospital. First of all we need a dispenser,” she said.

Regarding the day-to-day affairs, Dr Iqra said they deal about 40 patients in the OPD. Besides her, a lady heaklth visitor a midwife and a health nutrition supervisor are there to assist expecting mothers.

She said that they only have paracetamol, whereas anti-inflammatory, anti-biotic and anti-allergy medicines are not present in the pharmacy of a facility the past government has labelled as mini-hospital.

“We have a labour room here, but due to lack of important equioment, drugs and injections, we do not deal delivery cases here,” Dr Iqra said.

The facility examines the expectant moms but refer them to other hospitals for delivery. “We refer women to district headquarters hospital or Kothaklan health facility for delivery.

PTI Member Punjab Assembly  Wasiq Qayyum from provincial constituency PP-1 told Express News that all the needs of health facility will be met and the facility will be made functional as a mini hospital without further delay.

“Availability of staff, medicines, electro-medical equipment including all other facilities will be ensured in basic health facility Dhaman Saidan,” MPA Qayyum said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2018.