On the back burner: Public healthcare not on K-P government’s priority list

Shortage of funds and staff are to blame for the issue: sources.

HARIPUR:

For the largest revenue-generating district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), Haripur has yet to provide its citizens effective healthcare facilities. In the absence of adequate funds and staff at government hospitals, locals are forced to consult private physicians and bear heavy treatment cost, it has been learnt.

The 210-bed District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) that became operational in 2008, following a lapse of over 15 years, is yet to be equipped with healthcare facilities. Moreover, the health budget has not been increased to meet the requirements while there is a shortage of necessary staff at the hospital.

According to official sources, the number of people visiting Out Patient Department daily has increased to 1,200 at the DHQ and 300 at the Women and Children Hospital. But despite repeated requests to the K-P Health Department, the annual budget of Rs10 million for both the hospitals was not increased.

Furthermore, the sanctioned strength of doctors is 64, but only 32 are working in the two hospitals. “Over 16 posts of specialists including radiologists and pathologists are lying vacant for the past four years, but the government has paid no heed,” said a hospital official, requesting anonymity.



The DHQ, which was given the status of a teaching hospital two years back, has four dialysis machines that have remained unused for several months as there are no trained technicians to operate them. However, the administration has trained four nurses to conduct dialysis but the seats of technicians are still vacant.

An official of the DHQ hospital said that its old building was given the status of Women and Children Hospital during 2009 but no new staff or separate budget was sanctioned. Due to this, the administration had to allocate a certain share of its budget and depute doctors to keep it operational. The official said the Women and Children Hospital alone needs a budget of Rs8 million along with four gynaecologists, four paediatricians, 10 women medical officers and 30 paramedical staff to operate properly.

When contacted, Medical Superintendant Dr Zakeem Khan Wazir confirmed the information, adding that the Statement of New Expenses for hiring doctors and other staff has been sent to the K-P health department. However, he said that to meet the local requirement, he has brought about improvements in the services by opening a 24-bed gynaecology and children ward. He said the process of hiring nurses using local funds will be completed in the next two weeks.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28^th, 2012.