DERA GHAZI KHAN-Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital Taunsa Sharif is suffering the shortage of funds for medicines and development work as well as of doctors and paramedical staff, a health official admitted.
Health Advisor to Punjab Government Muhammad Hanif Khan also said presently Rs330.679 million are being spent on the revamping of THQ Hospital Taunsa. 151 posts of SMOs, MOs, SWMOs, WMOs, and specialist cadre, dental surgeons, nursing cadre, allied health professional and Class IV are lying vacant in the hospital. The vacant posts would be filled very soon, he said.
More than over 0.7 million people of Taunsa Sharif and adjoining areas have to approach for medical facilities here, he said. He claimed it was being upgraded to facilitate the local people, he said.
Talking to The Nation, he said that after completion will facilitate 0.5 million people annually with provision of healthcare at the local level. Hanif Khan said that Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Khan Buzdar was determined to provide health facilities for the people at their doorsteps across the Punjab. He said the PTI government would try to meet all the promises it made with the public.
About THQ Hospital Taunsa, he added that it was constructed at 80 kanal area in 1979 with the capacity of 60 beds, in 2008-09 it was upgraded to 80 beds. After the construction of Trauma Center in year 2015-16, it is now a 100-bed hospital, he said.
Hanif said that a presentation has been prepared by District Health Authority DG Khan, which would be presented to Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Khan Buzdar, after approval, it would be upgraded.
Hanif added 140 beds including 20 beds in Medical Emergency Department, 30 in Maternity Home, 10 in Neuro Surgery Department, 30 in Peads ward, 5 in Ophthalmology ward, 5 in ENT ward, 10 in Ortho ward, 10 in Cardiology ward, 10 in ICU ward and 10 beds in Urology, Nephrology and Dialysis ward, would be added.
While another operation theater in new block, and one operation theater in Gynae block would also be constructed, he said. Hanif shared presently the hospital was suffering insufficient budget for non-salary heads, pending liabilities for medicines and development work, lack of staff including doctors, nurses and paramedics.
Existing residential block except the medical superintendent’s residence has been declared dangerous by building department.
Therefore, new residential buildings would be constructed for the staff.