Funds delay stalls health facility in Gujar Khan village
The construction of the rural health centre (RHC) in Kauntrila village of Gujar Khan District of Rawalpindi has been stalled due to a delay in the issuance of the revised budget for the facility even as almost 80 per cent of the work to upgrade the existing basic health unit (BHU) has been completed.
The revised budget of Rs30.92 million remains pending while there has been no development on the support needs assessment (SNE) regarding staff recruitment for the RHC. The delay has also affected the construction of residences, of which only two have been completed while 15 others remain incomplete due to payment delays.
According to the Punjab Health Department, a BHU serves up to 25,000 people with basic medical and surgical care, preventive services, and maternal and child healthcare services. An RHC, with an additional facility of 10-20 inpatient beds, dental and ambulance services, serves a catchment population of up to 100,000 people
The request for staff has also not been granted, and the health centre can only be made operational once personnel are in place. The requirement included two senior medical officers, three medical officers, one female medical officer, one dental surgeon, six charge nurses, one computer operator, one senior clerk, one dental technician, one laboratory technician, two lady health workers, one junior clerk, one dispenser, one operation theatre assistant, one anaesthetist assistant, one x-ray assistant, four midwives as well as other necessary staff.
The provincial health minister and relevant authorities have been briefed about the importance of the project and the reason for its delays, said sources privy to project details. The briefing pointed out that those with limited means were impacted the most by the absence of healthcare facilities in their area.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 1st, 2023.