By Rafiullah Mandokhail;
ZHOB: It is quite astonishing that the health sector has never ever remained the top priority of the government. Despite the tall claims made by the government it could be judged from the pathetic condition of rural healthcare facilities in the district, where patients pass through great hardship due to non-availability of public health services. The Health department is finding it hard to ensure the presence of doctors at rural hospitals. The people blame negligence by the elected representatives and district administration, mismanagement, unequal distribution of equipments and medicines for the poor state of health centers in the district.
The Rural Health Centre Omza, surrounded by over a dozen villages receives hundreds of patients from far-flung areas on daily basis. The RHC is catering thousands of inhabitants not only from Killi Omza but also caters to people from adjoining villages including Narezai, Khwazekzai, Omza Yaseenzai, Zebai, Shin Ghar Ibrahimkhail, Kamalzai, Hassanzai, Dwal Gad, Kazha Malezi, Trei, Samazi Malayan and Branj area, but it lacks equipments, sufficient medicines and health staff. Although the RHC is considered to be the largest health facility in the entire area, but it faces numerous problems since long.
The punctual, regular and committed Medical Technician Niamatullah Mandokhail hailing from Killi Omza is the one who serves the ailing community round-the-clock with devotion. He says the RHC is supposed to cater to the needs of few hundred patients, but the surrounded villages are touching a figure of over forty thousand population. The area people have no option but to rush their patients to the facility.
“Although the medicine is available at the centre but not sufficient to meet the growing need of the center”, adding the government should increase its budget to address the existing problems. Besides treating tuberculosis patients, he says the children suffering from malnourishment are also treated here and provided with free nutritious food supplements.
He maintains that the RHC needs a state-of-art and well-equipped labor room in order to handle delivery cases and expectant mothers. Moreover appointment of a lady health worker and an ambulance is immediately needed for the facility. A solar system of energy should also be installed at the center to ensure uninterrupted supply of power and enable the patients to get smooth health services. The MT demands.