Patients in agony as axe falls on BHUs

Sources say up to 200 patients visit each basic healthcare facility every day

RAWALPINDI:

Dropping an axe on the already limited healthcare facilities, the caretaker Punjab government has abolished 48 posts of male and female medical officers (MOs) in public dispensaries across Rawalpindi district. The treatment of thousands of patients has almost come to a standstill after a notification was issued by the provincial Primary and Secondary Health Care Department on February 16, 2024.

According to the notification, the services of 42 female and six MOs have been terminated. The dispensaries, which have been deprived of doctors, are located in the rural areas of Cantonment like Gujar Khan, Mandira, Kaliam Awan, and Rawalpindi city. Each dispensary was providing treatment facilities to up to 200 male and female patients a day. The dispensers of all these dispensaries have already been sacked.

The affected rural dispensaries and municipal health centres include Udara Usmanzada Islampura, Jabar Gujar Khan, Khanyal Bajrana Gujar Khan, Kalyam Awan, Kanoha Kallar Syedan, Satellite Town Rawalpindi, C h a k l a l a , D h a m a n Syedan, Peyal, Meyana, Ahmedabad Ward 6 Cantt, Azam Colony Ward 9 Cantt, Dhok Mustaqeem Ward 1, Dhok Mustaqeem Ward 2, Lal Kurti, Naseerabad, Taj Bazar, Dhok Gujran, Punjab Haas Rural dispensary, R Sobay Shah, Shakriyal, Akalgarh, Amar Pura, Bani Chowk, Bohar Bazar, Chamanzar Colony, Imam Bara, Muslim Town, New Amarpura, Ratta Amaral, Sarfraz Road,Sirajiya Park, Adhwal, Basali,Dehla, Sahaal, Mohra Dogran, D h o k H a s s u , D h o k Mangtal, Dhok Ratta, Millat Colony, Mohanpura, and Waris Khan Mohalla.

Newly elected Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, in her first speech, has announced to upgrade the treatment facilities at the government level and to focus on the health sector. However, due to the above-mentioned decision to eliminate 40 posts of doctors, the citizens have lost the facilities of getting medical treatment at their doorstep. Health Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr Ejaz Ahmad, when contacted, said the dispensaries would continue working despite the termination of posts of doctors. He, however, said the treatment process at the basic health facilities would suffer until the new government clears the picture.