MANSEHRA: The residents of Oghi and its suburban parts have demanded that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government release funds for the completion of the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital (THQ), which couldn’t be completed during the last nine years.
“The people of Oghi and its adjoining Tanawal area are without the healthcare facility as the construction of the THQ hospital couldn’t be completed, depriving people of healthcare services,” Sarbuland Khan, a former president of Awan-e-Tijarat Oghi, said.
A group of locals led by him said that the government had approved Rs460 million for the construction of the health facility, but the entire fund could not be released even after nine years had passed since its foundation.
“The government has first to pay the Rs160 million outstanding amount of the contractor concerned, and then to release more funds for its completion,” he said.
Sarbuland Khan said that execution of the building and other necessary work had been completed but owing to a delay in the release of more funds, the work was suspended, depriving the people of healthcare services.
“The patients are referred to health facilities in Mansehra and the rest of the Hazara division for treatment and complicated cases, putting an extra financial burden on them,” he said.
Another local and former chairman of the village council, Shaukat Hayat, said that over 90 per cent of the work on the under-construction health facility was completed, and if more funds were released, it could be completed shortly.
“We have moved to local lawmakers and high-ups in the health department for the last many years, but to no avail, affecting healthcare services for the people,” he said.
They said that Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi should take notice of the situation and release the remaining funds for the completion of that health facility.
