Rural health centres will be revamped, but who will man them?
But manning these centres will be the real challenge. Health professionals are unwilling to work there because they have no incentives, depriving an estimated 600,000 people of healthcare.
There are currently more than 30% posts that are lying vacant in 14 BHUs and two RHCs, according to Islamabad Deputy Commissioner (DC) Amir Ali Ahmad. “Recruiting staff has become a major challenge for us, as no one is willing to work in these setups.”
The vacant posts have been advertised twice since 2001 in various English and Urdu dailies, with very few people applying for them, the DC said. Most professionals demand hefty salaries that the administration cannot afford.
The limited budget has also affected the facilities available at the health centres. All health centres except the one in Bara Kahu do not have power and water supply, boundary walls, washrooms, basic medical equipment or beds, said DC Ahmad.
“We are planning to convert the RHCs in Tarlai and Sihala into mini hospitals like we did in Bara Kahu, to decrease the patient load on the major hospitals of Islamabad,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 31st, 2012.
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