Locals decry lack of healthcare facilities

Sources say doctors' posts lie vacant for extended periods

JHELUM:

Residents of Pind Dadan Khan tehsil are grappling with a severe lack of healthcare facilities despite the presence of Basic Health Units (BHUs) constructed by the health department.

Many of these units remain understaffed, with doctors' posts lying vacant for extended periods. In the absence of qualified doctors, dispensers and Lady Health Visitors (LHVs) are left to care for patients. The shortage of medical professionals has raised concerns about the Punjab government's failure to address the issue, leaving hospital positions unfilled for years.

The community has appealed to Health Advisor Major General (Retired) Azhar Kayani, urging immediate intervention to appoint doctors and improve healthcare services in the region. The lack of medical personnel is forcing many residents to travel long distances to the District Headquarters Hospital in Jhelum, a journey further complicated by poor road conditions.

What should be a two-hour trip often becomes a grueling five-hour ordeal, adding to the suffering of those in need of urgent care.

The absence of specialist doctors in many villages within the tehsil has worsened the situation, with patients being treated by staff trained only for general duties. Moreover, several smaller hospitals in the area face a shortage of essential medicines, further hindering medical care.

Residents are voicing frustration over the lack of attention from health department officials, who they claim are indifferent to their problems. Even when senior doctors are appointed to local hospitals, they are frequently absent due to leave, leaving patients without proper care. The residents also expressed dissatisfaction with the visits of the CEO Health, which they find insufficient.

Locals are calling on Health Advisor Azhar Kayani to visit the health centers in Pind Dadan Khan Tehsil and take necessary steps to fill the longstanding vacancies.