District Sherani: health sector in abysmal condition
By Rafiullah Mandokhail
ZHOB: The mountainous areas of neighboring district Sherani in Balochistan lack basic healthcare facilities and the prevalence of various diseases is also alarmingly high among the impoverished people dwelling in far-off areas of the district. Poor health facilities in the district speak volumes about the failure of the government in bringing about reform in the health sector. The district shares borders with Dera Ismail Khan and Tank, thousands of people, including women and children, are facing severe hardships due to the non-functioning health facilities in their hilly areas.
On the part of the negligence of the concerned authorities, a civil dispensary (CD) for a population of almost 35000 people in the Landei Mungalzai Hariphal area of the district wore a deserted look. The area people have no other option but to travel to Zhob hospital, which not only causes a financial burden but also inconvenience because the people have to travel on dilapidated roads. The CD was established in 1994 to provide basic health facilities to the inhabitants of the mentioned above village and adjacent areas, but neither it has been registered nor made functional despite the passage of 27 years.
35,000 population including women and children are deprived of medical facilities
Wali Khan, a resident of the remote mountainous area Killi Landei Sabzali told this scribe that the civil dispensary had been built at a distance of 50 km from Zhob city, but it has not been made functional even in three decades.
“There is no health center in the surrounding villages around the dilapidated civil dispensary. As a result, 35,000 population including women and children are deprived of medical facilities.” He lamented. He said that the facility was built at the time when Sherani was part of the Zhob district. The former provincial minister Jaffar Khan Mandokhail had approved the construction of the facility, but due to the incompetence of the concerned authorities, it presents a gloomy picture today. He added.
Dr. Daulat Shah Hariphal, Medical Superintendent at District Headquarters (DHQ) hospital Sherani, told that the repair work of the mentioned above health center has been started on a self-help basis. He said that due to the lack of medical facilities in the area, a large population is affected and women die on their way to the city hospital during childbirth.
“The center will be renovated and special arrangements will be made soon for the treatment of women and children here. The basic health centers in remote areas of the district would also be made functional in order to provide medical facilities to the people at their doorsteps.” MS Dr. Daulat Shah Hariphal vowed.
