rki.news
Altaf Hamid Rao
MIRPUR ( AJK): Oct. 29: Residents of Kala Dhab area in Chharchhui tehsil of Kotli district have expressed concern over the alleged frequent absence of a Hakim posted at the Government Basic Health Centre Palhal Kalan (Unani Dispensary), demanding immediate intervention by the higher authorities to ensure uninterrupted healthcare services.
In a joint statement, issued here on Thursday, Chaudhry Khairat Meeran, Chaudhry Khalid, Zameer Janjua and Farhan Aurangzeb Chaudhry said the dispensary served poor and underprivileged people of the area who relied on it for medical treatment.
They said, alleged staff absenteeism was causing difficulties for patients seeking healthcare.
According to complaints by local residents, the Hakim allegedly took an additional day off once a month besides the weekly holiday. Complaints had also emerged that he remained absent on other working days or left the dispensary shortly after marking his attendance, they said, adding that the situation was affecting the facility’s services.
They said elderly people, women, children and other patients travelled from remote mountainous areas to seek treatment at the dispensary. Given the difficult travelling conditions and limited resources, repeated visits to the health facility were not feasible for many patients. The alleged absence of the relevant staff caused them inconvenience, wasted their time and money, and could aggravate their medical difficulties.
The protestant residents stressed that basic health facilities were established to provide healthcare services close to people’s homes and that staff members must discharge their duties with punctuality and responsibility. They said attendance, adherence to official duty hours and timely provision of medical services must be ensured, particularly in areas where access to alternative healthcare facilities was limited.
Along with Namberdar Haji Muhammad Mukhtar, the residents demanded that the authorities investigate the complaints by examining the dispensary’s attendance register, duty timings and record of additional leave.
They said appropriate action should be taken under the relevant rules if the allegations were substantiated and an effective monitoring mechanism introduced to ensure the regular presence of staff.
They expressed hope that the authorities would take prompt notice of the matter and address the concerns of residents to ensure timely medical care for poor and deserving patients from Palhal Kalan and adjoining areas.
