The well said proverb “Health is wealth” provoke me to think about health facilities in our country Pakistan. Then I limited my thoughts about the health facilities of my own area Chitral which is at the far-flung end of KPK. That is known to be the largest district of KPK but it has only two hospitals; District Headquarter Hospital lower Chitral and Tehsil Headquarter Hospital upper Chitral. Oh, I forgot to tell you that this single district Chitral has been divided into two districts in terms of areas, not facilities. Now it has got two names lower and upper district but not the facilitating power. I am ready to compromise and overlook all the other facilities but tell me how to ignore health facilitation.
I am thankful to the government for the block building in the name of the hospital whereas I am not getting that how the buildings without equipment diagnose and treat the illnesses. At the same time, I am amazed by the high authorities that how a few doctors can deal and treat a mass when there would be no surveillance. Believe me, I am not sure about the ambulance service there. Let me tell you there are no specific wards for different diseases nor specialized doctors for diagnosing. Hospitals are places for relief but I used to become sick on my visit to them. There are no proper waiting areas for the attendants of the patients. They have to wander outside worried about their loved ones inside the cold wards. And they are option less.
It is not just about the health facilities but also road infrastructure that hampers the ways to move the patients. Now imagine people who have lost their dear ones in this realm. Many go in the run of availing facilities to cure their patients but lost hope in the verges of high mountains and deep river digs. And do you know about the population of Chitral which is more than 447362 and is being facilitated with just two hospitals and some dispensers?
The people love each other so that they try their best to take the patients to down cities. The first city they consider is Peshawar despite the expanses. Now my question is that if there can be well-equipped hospitals in cities then why not in towns and villages? If doctors are capable of working in big cities then why do they not serve their local areas? If the government hospital in Peshawar has different diagnostic wards with specialized doctors and advanced equipment then why not every District Headquarters?
The above reality is not just about Chitral but about all those many Chitrals which are situated in all the other provinces of the country. Every village, town, and even some cities are deprived of this basic facility. Let me tell you about Gilgit Baltistan that is considered to be a province that has not a single full-fledged hospital that can facilitate the people over there. It took more than 18 hours to bring a patient from that distant point to the capital of Islamabad. And you know hospitals in Islamabad are well advanced but unable to deal with and diagnose. Just think about it for few seconds and then answer yourself.
In Chitral and Gilgit Baltistan, we are grateful to Aga Khan Health Service that is doing its best to reach out to every small village and to serve the people. And the main hospital Booni Medical Centre (BMC) is facilitating people to a large extend.
I am informing you that imagination and visualization cannot work and it needs serious attention and action. There is a dire need to build hospitals at least at the distance of 30 km to the reach of every district and surroundings. So, that the people will not suffer. Wealth is nothing at the cost of health that is why please end the monopoly game and care about the citizen so that we can stand as one nation (AikQaum).
