Provision of health services: Eight BHUs established in Kohistan, Shangla

Over 200,000 people to benefit from the PRCS health units.

KOHISTAN:

The Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), in collaboration with the German Red Cross (GRC), has started running eight basic health units (BHUs) in Kohistan and Shangla, said a press release issued by the society on Thursday. The BHUs will cater to the needs of over 200,000 people residing in far-flung areas of the two districts.

PRCS Secretary General Muhammad Ilyas Khan inaugurated the eighth BHU at Goshali in this connection.

Khan said that the PRCS is committed to providing health services to people living in far-off areas, adding that the BHU at Goshali will help the people to a great extent.

“These health units are equipped with modern equipment and fully trained doctors and paramedics have been hired to provide quality treatment,” explained Ilyas.

He said that the society is also planning to run four BHUs in Chitral in future.

The secretary general also visited the BHUs and praised the services of the doctors at the units. He thanked the GRC for supporting the PRCS in providing health services in far off areas.

The local people also appreciated the steps taken by PRCS in providing medical services to the residents of the area, saying that the presence of health units will benefit them a lot, as they previously had to travel to other areas due to non-availability of doctors in the past.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) PRCS Secretary Ali Hassan said that the PRCS was working in all parts of K-P to provide relief and medical care to the people. He said that the society took active part in relief activities during the earthquake in 2005, internally displaced persons operation and flood relief programmes.

The ceremony was attended by a large number of the PRCS staff, volunteers and notables of the area.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 16^th, 2011.