(MENAFN- Tribal News Network) Shah Nawaz Afridi
Haji Shamsul Haq, 68 a resident of Alamgodar area of Bara, was taken to Dogra hospital upon pain in chest earlier in Ramzan last year. He said that there was no facility available at this facility which could have lessened his pain.
“There is complete lack of facilities at the Dogra hospital and it is even difficult to find an injection during night,” he said. Mr Haq said that the Rescue 1122 ambulance in which he was rushed to the hospital was more properly equipped than this healthcare facility.
He said that he was cardiac patient for past five years and has also undergone bypass surgery. However, he said that due to the absence of facilities, he has to go to Peshawar for checkup.“Dogra hospital has neither ICU nor cardiac care unit,” he said.
Mr Haq said that previously he was twice taken to Dogra hospital for treatment'; however, they have to take her to Peshawar after doctors at this facility failed to diagnose her illness.“This hospital is about 10 minutes drive from our home; however, absence of facilities here forces us to travel 10 kilometers to Peshawar,” he said.
Similarly, Turab Ali, a social activist from Sipah area of Bara, said a large number of locals have returned from other parts of the province and country after restoration of peace in the area following years long displacement.
However, he said that the hospital facilities have not been upgraded despite rapid increase in the area's population.“This has deprived more than 500,000 people of the several of Tirah and Bara villages in a radius of 100 kilometers,” he said.
Mr Ali said that many of the patients are forced to go to Peshawar hospital, after travelling several kilometers and it was particularly very hard for patients during night.
He said that patients mostly women from Maidani area of Bara and upper Bara and villages in the outskirts including Sheikhan, Sangu and Achini visit Dogra hospital seeking treatment.
Mr Ali said that the hospital provided also provided child immunization and Ehsass Nashunama Programme for pregnant women. Mr Ali said that the up gradation of Dogra hospital was very imperative, which will also lead to hospital facilities as well it's in charge powers.“This will enable the hospital head to make decisions about hospital staff and other affairs,” he said.
District health officer Dr Ayub Afridi said that he has made efforts for the Dogra hospital up gradation.“The hospital built over an area of 13 acres has spacious building and even suitable for teaching hospital,” he said.
He said that this hospital was first setup as civil dispensary in 1964 and up graded to basic health unit in 1970 and further up graded to civil hospital in 1976.“The hospital was up graded to tehsil headquarters hospital in 1994,” he said.
In 2003, this hospital was made category D hospital and in 19 years since there has no change in its status
According to 2017 National Census, Bara tehsil population stands at 440,000 people. On the other hand, a health department official said that tehsil population has now jumped to over 600.000 and despite this rapid increase in population, this facility was not being up graded.
“A type D hospital serves a population of up to 50,000 and type C is for a population of 100,000, when there is no major hospital is in the neighborhood,” he said.
Dr Alamgir, the head of Dogra hospital said that it provided specialties of general surgery, pediatrics, gynecology and general medicine and up to 13,000 people visit its OPD every month.
Besides, he said that there were skin, dental and psychiatry facilities were also available at this hospital.“Recently surgeries were also being undertaken at this hospital which has also resulted into increase in number of visitors,” he said.
Kashif, a resident of Bara said that when his wife suffered burn wounds one night, he took her to burn centers in Peshawar as he was clear that there were no facilities in Dogar hospital to treat her.
Shafiq Afridi, member of KP assembly and chairman of district development advisory committee survey for the hospital up gradation has been completed and it was eligible for getting C category.
“After getting the C category, the specialties will nearly double,” he said.
He said that very soon this hospital category will be changed from D to C.
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