IWA oversight helps resolve health clinic problems

CHARIKAR (Pajhwok): Problems of a health clinic in the Jabalus Saraj district of central Parwan province have been resolved as a result of oversight by the Integrity Watch Afghanistan (IWA) with the cooperation of Kahkashan group.

IWA and Kahkashan officials made the claim while vising the Sar-i-Hawz health centre in Jabalus Saraj district.

The social monitoring programme for health centres in Parwan was launched in the beginning of this year through IWA with the financial support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

Baryalai Bahadur, head of the Kahkashan group, said the lack of necessary medicines, female vaccinators, staff absence during work hours, lack of cleanliness, uniforms and late arrival of doctors were among the problems at the Sar-i-Hawz clinic.

However, the issues have now been resolved as a result of oversight by the institute, according to Bahadur.

He hailed the creation of the health and people’s councils, examination of patients based on turn, cleanliness of toilets, control of visitors and ensuring staff attendance as achievements of IWA.

Bahadur called the shortage of female nurses and the lack of safe drinking water the main problems that were yet to be resolved.

A meeting was held from IWA, Provincial Trust Network, civil groups in Sar-i-Hawz clinic in Jab-ul-Siraj district with funding from UNDP to improve public services.

Bahadur added IWA, in cooperation with Kahkashan group, had monitored and evaluated 16 health centers in Parwan in less than a year.

He informed that 80 percent of the challenges facing health centers in Parwan had been solved through monitoring and evaluation.

Efforts were underway to ensure the lack of clean drinking water and the shortage of female doctors were addressed as soon as possible.

“We have repeatedly suggested to the Public Health Department the supply of safe drinking water and they have a plant by which institute to dig a drinking water well in the clinic,” he added.

Haji Jamaluddin, an area elder, commended the IWA effort, saying attention should also be paid to the supply of drinking water and meeting the shortage of lady doctors.

The Sar-i-Hawz clinic covers 16,000 families from Jabalus Saraj district.

With funding from Danish embassy, UNDP has been working with civil society organisations over the past two years to prevent corruption.

December 9 is International Anti-Corruption Day. The fight against corruption is considered a global phenomenon. Documents show poor people are more vulnerable to this scourge.

Corruption is a major impediment to development, a threat to democracy and a the rule of law, paving the way for human rights violations, damaging commercial markets and the quality of life.

It also causes crime and risks the safety of human life besides leading to instability and poverty and playing a key role in the weakening of sensible countries.

sa/mud