A deserted BHU in Taxila

TAXILA, April 16: A Basic Health Unit (BHU) for the 20,000 people living in the rural area of Taxila has turned into a deserted place because of lack of facilities. The BHU Salargah, about 17 kilometres from Taxila, was constructed in 1989 with an allocation of Rs1.25 million to provide health facilities to people living on both sides of River Haro of union council Garhi Skiandar. Seven residential units were also established within the premises of the BHU for accommodating doctors other staff. But there is no approach road to reach the BHU as patients have to pass through a dry bed of the rainy spillway. When it rains, the place turns into an island. As basic facilities like drinking water are missing in the BHU, no staff lives in the official accommodation. Today it is no surprise that the BHU is without even the basic syrups and life saving drugs. As summer has set in, no medicines for diarrhoea are available in it. Without any testing facility, even injections are not available. Due to lack of access and facilities, very few patients visit the BHU. Dr Inyatur Rehman, in-charge of BHU, admitted paucity of medicines. But he added that all health centres across the district were facing shortage of medicines due to financial constraints. About the dilapidated condition of the residential blocks, he said due to non-availability of drinking water and Sui gas, no employee was ready to live here. Executive District Officer (Health) Dr Zafar Iqbal Gondal said medicines would be provided after getting funds. He appreciated the staff working in this BHU, saying normally the employees are not ready to work in far off areas. The official said to address the infrastructure problems, a case has already been transferred to Planning Wing of the district health department. But Mohammad Ali Ahsan, planning officer district health department, did not know why the centre was establis hed on the rainwater bed. He said the district government approved Rs2.36 million plan for providing basic facilities for the BHU in 2007 but it was never executed. Ajmal Tanoli, a former union council nazim, has asked the provincial government to provide facilities to the BHU to make it fully functional.