Local govt offices set up in Chitral BHUs

Dawn, Jan 2, 2002

By Zar Alam Khan
CHITRAL: All the newly formed 24 union and two tehsil
councils of the district government here have set up assembly
offices inside the premises of basic health units (BHUs), rural
health centres and tehsil headquarters hospitals in various parts
of the valley, sources in the local health office confirmed.
Most of the health centres, particularly in the far-flung areas
of the valley, have been inoperative due to non-availability of
medical and paramedical staff and diagnostic facilities.
According to the health officials, 14 out of 21 basic
health units (BHUs) are without medical staff and 16 posts of
medical officers are vacant in the three tehsil headquarters
hospitals, while two out of the three rural health centres
have no doctors at all.
District Nazim Shahzada Mohiuddin said that in absence of
office accommodations for the new assemblies, the
government had authorized the local bodies to use vacant government
premises and the buildings in the health units have been taken over
by the local bodies for the purpose after consultation and in
consensus with the health department authorities.
Confirming the decision, acting EDO health, Dr Nazir Ahmed,
said only unused portions of the health unit buildings have
been given to the local bodies on certain conditions. He said the
buildings would be taken back when needed.
There are three tehsil headquarters hospitals, one each in
Drosh, Garamchashma and Booni, while three rural health centres
are located in Koghozi, Ayun and Mastuj villages.
The 21 BHUs, most of which have come under the use of the
local bodies, are located in the following villages:
Gobor and Shoghor in Lotkoh tehsil; Broz and Moroi in tehsil
Chitral; Keso, Tar, Naghar, Asuret and Arandu in Drosh tehsil;
Reshun, Shangush, Sonoghar, Brep, Brok (Laspur) in tehsil Mastuj;
Kosht, Drasun, Nishkoh and Zondrangram in Mul Khow, and Khot, Rech
and Shagram in Tor Khow tehsil.
About the unending problem of shortage of medical staff, the
health officials said that only the director general of health, NWFP,
is authorized to appoint and transfer doctors in the district
and because of financial constraints and unwillingness of doctors
to work in the rural areas, most of the health care units have been
almost inoperative or running without medical staff and supplies.
Official figures showed that three out of four specialists
posts have remained vacant, while six posts of medical officers
(MOs) are unfilled in the tehsil headquarters hospital in Drosh. In
the ten-bedded Garamchashma tehsil hospital, out of six MOs and
dental surgeon's posts, only two doctors are available, while in Booni
two posts of MOs are vacant for a long time.
Similarly, in the three rural health centres, only one doctor
out of three is working in Koghozi, all three posts are vacant in
Ayun, while one dental surgeon is available against three MO posts
in Mastuj.
Fourteen out of 21 BHUs in the district have no doctors and
necessary diagnostic facilities: These BHUs are located in Shoghor,
Lot Koh tehsil; Moroi in tehsil Chitral; Tar, Asuret, Naghar and
Arandu in Drosh tehsil; Shangush, Sonoghar, Brep, Brok (Laspur)
in Mastuj tehsil; Rech in Tor Khow and Drasun, Nishkoh and
Zondrangram in Mul Khow tehsil.
Because of geographical disparities and absence of communication
facilities health care facilities have become almost non-existent
in the district which remains completely cut-off from rest of the
country for about six months when it snows on the 10,000-foot Lowari
Pass in the winter.
FUNDS FOR UCs: Rs0.9 million have been allocated to each of
the 24 union councils, while special grant would be allocated for
women's progress under the Khushhal Pakistan Programme, district
Nazim Shahzada Mohiuddin said.
He said the provincial government has allocated Rs10 millions
for the under-construction portion of Mastuj Road and the
Frontier Works Organization has been approached for starting work
on the Shandur road from Mastuj side linking Chitral with
Karakuram Highway via Gahguch-Gilgit. Work on the road from
Gahguch, Gilgit, side has already been started.
The district Nazim said after completion of the 4.8
megawatt Reshun power house, at a cost of about Rs410 million,
most of the villages of upper Chitral, including those in Yarkhoon,
Laspur, Mul Khow and Tor Khow, would be electrified.