NOWSHERA: Despite tall claims of bringing reforms in the health sector, the provincial government has even f ailed to fill the vacant posts of doctorsin the district headquarters hospital, Nowshera, where it has been observed that women patients are handled by a male radiologist during the ultrasound.

`I have no other option but to let me checkedup bymaleradiologist while undergoing ultrasound as there is no female radiologist available at this main hospital of the district,` regretted Farzana, who sat in a narrow alley along with hundreds of both female andmale patients waiting their turn for ultrasound.

Talking to this correspondent she said she had come to hospital along with her mother from Guldahri area.

Interestingly, DHQ hospital also has no expert nursing staff to support the radiologist. `I have to perform my duty without any break f rom morning till afternoon.

`The government should provide expert female radiologist to hospital on priority basis as women patients feel embarrassed while being checked by a male radiologist,` the doctor said.

Medical superintendent Dr Arshad said he had requested the authorities to fill the vacant posts of doctors as people were facinghardship in getting quality healthcare. He said he was running DHQ hospital without some specialist doctors, including dental, medical, skin, and psychological experts.

He said the government had provided medical officers to other hospitals in Nowshera but not to the DHQ hospital.

Regarding the female radiologist, he said he was trying his best to find a female radiologist.

He said he was facing budget constraints as three quarter budget of the DHQ hospital had already been used by Qazi Medical Complex, which was part of it.

Meanwhile, the provincial government has also failed to pro-vide medicines to basic health units across the district due to which poor patients are compelled to take medicines from market.

This was pointed out by representatives of district advocacy forum Nowshera at a meeting here on other day. It was observed that 77 per cent patients of BHUs were getting medicines from market as government f ailed to provide medicines to 90 BHUs in Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi and Peshawar districts.

They said the government-provided medicines could only last for a week or two, urged the government to extend support to BHUs to provide best services to poor people at their doorstep.