Long Roads, Lost Lives: The Cost Of Weak Emergency Services In Swat

Swat district, known for its natural beauty and tourism activities, is a prominent region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, the availability of emergency medical facilities there is increasingly becoming a major public issue.

Despite a growing population, a steady influx of tourists, and a rise in emergency cases such as road accidents and heart diseases, many areas of the district still lack fully functional 24-hour emergency services. As a result, patients and their families face serious difficulties.

In many rural and semi-urban areas of Swat, during any emergency, patients are forced to travel long distances instead of receiving immediate treatment. In most cases, they are shifted to Mingora or Saidu Sharif, and by the time they reach there, precious time has already been lost.

According to local residents, the shortage of emergency services is no longer an individual problem but has become a collective challenge for the entire district.

Sidra, a resident of Alabad area in Tehsil Charbagh, shared that about six years ago, late at night, her father suddenly experienced difficulty in breathing and pain in his arm. The family immediately went to a nearby doctor's house, but no one was present. They then moved him to Charbagh, but no doctor was available there at that time either.

According to Sidra, while her father was being taken to Mingora for further treatment, he passed away on the way. Later, doctors told them that he had suffered a heart attack.

She says that in a densely populated tehsil, where there are educational institutions, business centers, and daily traffic accidents on the main road, the absence of a fully functional emergency hospital raises many questions.

Similarly, the lack of emergency facilities in Khwazakhela has become a persistent problem for residents. Rahman Ali, a 29-year-old resident of Khwazakhela, said his one-year-old son suddenly lost consciousness.

The child was immediately taken to a local hospital, where after an initial examination, doctors advised that he be shifted to Mingora. At the government hospital in Mingora, due to overcrowding in the emergency ward, they did not receive timely attention, forcing them to take the child to a private hospital instead.

Rahman Ali said they were charged 25,000 rupees for one night of treatment, while his daily income is between 800 and 1,000 rupees. He added that if proper emergency facilities were available locally, they would not have faced such financial pressure or severe mental stress.

In Upper Swat, the situation is even more complicated. Saima, a resident of Bahrain, said that emergency facilities in her area are almost non-existent. In any emergency, patients first have to be taken to Khwazakhela and then to Mingora, which becomes a long and difficult journey due to challenging roads.

She said many people do not even call Rescue 1122 because ambulances arrive late or sometimes do not reach at all, so families arrange transport on their own.

According to the Health Department, steps are underway to improve emergency medical services in Swat district. Deputy District Health Officer Swat, Dr. Fazal Arif, stated that there are eight government hospitals in the district providing 24-hour emergency services, including Matta, Khwazakhela, Madyan, Barikot, and Kabal.

He said that Tehsil Charbagh currently does not have a full Tehsil Headquarters-level emergency hospital; however, basic emergency services are being provided through the Rural Health Center and Basic Health Units.

A proposal has also been sent to the relevant authorities to upgrade the Rural Health Center Charbagh to a Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, though implementation will take time.

Rescue 1122 says resources for emergency response are available in the district, but geography remains a major challenge. According to Rescue 1122 North Region spokesperson Shafiqa Gul, there are more than 70 emergency vehicles in Swat district, including 40 ambulances, and over 370 trained rescuers are serving.

She added that mountainous routes, narrow roads, landslides, bad weather, and tourist pressure hinder timely response.

Overall, the issue of emergency medical facilities in Swat is not limited to statistics; it is closely linked to ground realities and the daily experiences of the local population.

Residents demand that, in view of the growing population, tourism activities, and accidents, effective emergency facilities should be provided at the tehsil level to ensure timely and proper medical assistance in emergencies.

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