Miscellaneous Chitral News

 

Drug peddler arrested: CHITRAL 10 Aug 08: One drug peddler named Amir Nawaz belonging to Bajaur was arrested with 10 Kg opium and a pistol and cartridges, by the anti narcotics squad here in Chitral. (MMAS Kakakhel)

 

One person goes missing: CHITRAL 10 Aug 08: One person Zakirullah age 35 went missing after returning home from Isha prayers at his home village Chumurkon on the outskirts of Chitral town. His family has appealed to the govt to help in recovering the missing person. (MMAS Kakakhel)

 

Chitral BHUs short of Doctors: CHITRAL, Aug 9: The People’s Programme for Healthcare Initiative (PPHI) has yet to solve the basic problem of the acute shortage of doctors in its basic health units (BHUs) in the Chitral district, the people have complained.
They said that one year ago, the PPHI, then called President’s Programme for Healthcare Initiative, had taken over all the 21 BHUs of the district to improve their functioning which were in disordered form forcing the patients to go to the DHQ hospital.
Most of the BHUs were being run without doctors and diagnostic facilities while the buildings were in dilapidated conditions.
The residents said that although the PPHI improved the infrastructure of the health units to some degree but the problems of absence of doctors and diag nostic facilities still persist.
Though provision of medicines has been ensured to all the BHUs in sufficient quantities but without a doctor who will prescribe these medicines, they asked.
The PPHI has so far appointed only four doctors for the 21 BHUs, they said, adding that the number is quite insufficient.
A doctor has to cover three or more BHUs simultaneously which is humanly not possible as the population is sparse and the distance between the BHUs is very large to be covered on daily basis.
They said that the joint-doctor of the BHUs encamps himself in one BHU and visits the others very seldom due to the problems of communication as the doctor has no transport facility at his disposal while it takes two days or more if one walks on feet. The situation worsens in the winter season when due to snow and avalanches, it becomes very difficult to move from one valley to another.
For example, the residents said, the Nishko BHU, where a doctor is stationed, remains cut off from Terich, Rech and Khot valleys in the winter season where BHUs exist.
The residents said that even the presence of a doctor is meaningless when there are no diagnostic facilities available at these BHUs.
They said that even a simple urine and blood test is not available in the BHU and one has to go to the DHQ hospital for the purpose.
They said that just the renovation of a hospital building is not the solution of the healthcare problems and the provision of medicines will relieve the poor people of the remote areas only when doctors are made available to them. --(Dawn; Zahiruddin)

 

Islamabad-Chitral flight problem continues: CHITRAL, 06 Aug 08: Islamabad-Chitral flight is plying with average 10 passengers while many passengers/could have been passengers have complained that they are being discouraged and being refused seats at Islamabad on one pretext or the other. On the other hand the Chitral-Islamabad direct flight is plying at full occupancy and there is much demand for seats on this flight despite the exorbitant fare increase. --(CN report)