Pashtun Zarghon residents facing health facilities shortage

HERAT (Pajhwok): Local officials in the Pashtun Zarghun district of western Herat province admit the district encompassing 240 villages and over 100,000 population has the least health facilities.

Ustad Yaser Osmani, the district administrative chief, told Pajhwok Afghan News: “Currently we have only six health centers or clinics that cannot cater to the needs of all people of the district”.

He said the residents of the district were demanding of the government to upgrade the clinic of the district bazaar to a well-equipped hospital.

Local residents also complain about the smaller number of health centers all over the district and say the available centers have less primary health facilities.

Mohammad Amin, a resident of Deh Kushk area, said he travelled a long distance to reach the district center, but the clinic here had no medicines for patients.

“Besides DehKusht area, residents of many remote villages come to this clinic where health facilities are equal to nothing,” Amin added.

Abdullah, another resident of Manzil area also said, the existing facilities in the district clinic could not cater to the needs of its population.

He said the provincial administration should provide health facilities to the people of the entire province, including Pashtun Zarghun district, as their top priority.

He said the residents of Pashtun Zarghun district had to visit the provincial capital, Herat City, even for simple health problems.

Other residents also urge the government to establish a modern and well equipped health center in the district.

Abdul Sattar Noori, an official of one of these health centers, told Pajhwok Afghan News they faced the shortage of doctors and other health facilities in the local clinics.

“We need a well-equipped hospital in the district center”, he said.

Pajhwok tried to get the opinion of the provincial Health Department, but did not succeed.

However, officials of other departments acknowledge the health centers in Pashtun Zarghun district lack facilities and that efforts are being made to resolve the issue.

MawlanaNaeemulhaqHaqqani, the provincial Information and Culture department head, said: “Officials of the Islamic Emirate are trying to establish health centers in remote and neglected areas of Herat province”.

He said the Ministry of Public Health along with some relevant institutions would identify vulnerable and needy areas for establishing health centers, Haqqani added.

aw/ma