BAJAUR: The district headquarters hospital, Khar, is yet to be upgraded to category `A` from the existing category `B` despite announcement in this regard by then provincial health minister Hisham Inamullah during his visit to the district on January 14, 2019.

Sources in the DHQ hospital of Bajaur tribal district told this correspondent that then health minister had announced at a jirga that the hospital was being upgraded to ensure proper healthcare facilities to the local people in their district.

They said the minister had also announced to establish nursing and medical colleges in the district soon.

However, the sources said work on these health-related projects could not be starte d despite passage of over three years. They recalled that the second announcement about upgradation of the DHQ hospital was made by the incumbent provincial health minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra during his visit to the district on July 19,2020.

They said that speaking to local lawmakers and officials of the district administration and health department Mr Jhagra had announced to upgrade the Khar hospital to category `A`, but no progress could be madeon the matter as yet.

They said of the total 700 employees of the hospital only 45 were medical officers and the facility had been short of specialist doctors. They said the 403-bed hospital lacked essential equipment like CT scan, digital X-ray plant and dialysis machines because of which patients had to go to hospitals in Peshawar for specialised treatment.

When contacted, medical superintendent Dr Liquat Ali said over 4,000 patients visited the DHQ hospital every month. He said though the hospital had officially been upgraded by the government in mid-2021, it lacked key facilities. He said that SNE (sanctioned new expenditure) regarding the upgradadon of the hospital had been sent to the provincial health department about a year ago, requesting it to double the current strength of doctors and appoint specialist doctors.

However, the of ficial did not specif y when the hospital would have all the facilities of category ½` f acility.

`I don`t know when the hospital would be truly upgraded to category `A`, but we have completed our preparation in this regard, he said.-Correspondent