Labourers deprived of basic healthcare in Rahim Yar Khan

Nine dispensaries of the district lack facilities and provide only limited treatment

RAHIM YAR KHAN: Over 40,000 workers, registered with social security services, have been deprived of a hospital in Rahim Yar Khan. The labourers bemoan that they have not been assured of public healthcare despite seeing Rs20 million in salary cuts overall for the social security fund, Express News reported.

The project for the district’s social security hospital has been facing delays despite a full-fledged building being constructed on allocated land. The healthcare facility, situated at Akramabad on National Highway, was built at the cost of millions of rupees. However, the negligence of authorities has led to its walls collapsing. To make matters worse, nine dispensaries of social security services are also bereft of equipment for diagnostic testing, ultrasound, X-ray and ECG.

Sources told Express News that over 1,800 registered industrial units make monthly contributions in excess of Rs20 million to the social security department of Rahim Yar Khan. Despite the enormous funds, the district dispensaries only ensure provision of medicines without proper diagnosis and testing. Labourers with monthly incomes of under Rs10,000 are entitled to get medical treatment from social security facilities. However, the poor workers are subjected to sheer negligence due to lack of facilities at the hospital and dispensaries operated by social security department.

The gateway between Punjab and Sindh hosts over 1,800 small and medium-sized industrial units, including five sugar mills, 135 cotton ginning factories, 110 oil factories and 75 flour mills. Taking note of the industrial significance of the district, the Punjab government approved the construction of a 50-bed hospital near Muslim Chowk at Akramabad in 2012-13.

Work on the project started soon after Rs90 million were approved for it. However, the construction of the hospital structure is still under way after a lapse of five years, causing great difficulties to over 40,000 industrial workers of the district. The nine dispensaries of the district also lack basic health facilities and only provide limited healthcare in the form of provision of medicines and first aid.

Consequently, the labourers, insured through social security, have to travel more than 300 kilometers to Multan for the treatment of health conditions like diabetes, hepatitis and heart diseases. Travel costs burden the low-paid labourers. Those registered under social security also represent workers of five sugar mills and three fertiliser factories. Altogether, over 1,800 such industrial units make a combined contribution of Rs20 million every month to the social security fund to ensure healthcare for workers. However, the labourers are still deprived of basic medical treatment.

A survey conducted by Express News revealed that Rahim Yar Khan is represented by six MNAs and thirteen MPAs in the national and provincial assemblies. However, the lawmakers seem to continuously indulge in criminal negligence by not taking note of the medical emergency engulfing the citizens of the district.

The labourers of the district are reportedly infuriated over the situation. Sources said that the social security department annually expends Rs2 million to Rs2.5 million for procuring medicines for industrial workers insured with the social security department. In contrast, the 11,000 industrial workers insured in Bahawalpur make a monthly contribution of Rs8 million and get an equal amount of funds for medicines.

Despite making double the contribution of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan cannot adequately meet the healthcare needs of workers insured under the social security. Every year, dozens of labourers, working in sugar mills and boiler industries, sustain serious injuries in fire emergencies. However, due to unavailability of burns units in the district, the labourers face intense difficulties in getting proper medical treatment.

When contacted, Social Security Director (Medical) Bahawalpur Region Dr Muhammad Aswar Khan said that all the necessary paperwork for the hospital has been completed. “We have submitted all the required documentation to the head office in Punjab. However, the delay in funds has caused this project to be put on the back burner,” he explained.