Khalida Niaz

PESHAWAR: There is not even a single lady doctor in the whole Betani sub-division of Lakki Marwat district having population of lakhs of people due to which women patients are facing difficulties.

The local people said in cases of delivery or other related problems, the women are taken to District Headquarters Hospital Lakki Marwat or hospitals in Bannu for which they had to cover distance of several hours. Not only this, but many basic health units (BHUs) in Betani sub-division even don’t have lady health workers (LHWs).

Local journalist Shakir Betani said there are health centers in Shadikhel area, but no LHWs due to which women during delivery either loss their life of loss their newborn babies as they did not get proper care and attention required at that critical time. He said the government makes claims about provision of health facilities, but the actual situation is quite different.

Shakir Betani said there is a BHU, a dispensary and a children health center, but lack of  female staff forces women and other patients to go to DHQ Hospital Lakki Marwat in cases of emergency. He said some patients die while being shifted to far off hospitals in Lakki and Bannu. He said most doctors at health centers are non-local and they are not performing their duties properly.

A local resident, Khilwat said the main issue in the area is lack of proper health facilities for women during pregnancy and delivery. She said the LHW was transferred from Shadikhel BHU and no replacement was made. He said there was no arrangement for clean drinking water in the BHU and it even don’t have solar-panel to provide electricity in time of need. He demanded provision of LHW at Shadikhel BHU and also an ambulence to shift critical patients to major hospitals in cases of emergency.

Deputy District Health Officer (DDHO) Dr Kifayatullah told TNN that the former LHW in the Shadikhel BHU was from Bannu and she was unable to perform duties efficiently due to whcih she was removed. He said a local LHW will be appointed in the BHU in order to ensure her availability round the clock.

Dr Kifayatullah admitted that there is not even a single lady doctor in the whole Betani sub-division as no such post exists. However, he said, LHWs are appointed at BHUs. He said the doctors and other staff who don’t perform their duties are punished from time to time in shape of deductions from salaries.