‘Sending female doctors to Drosh from DHQ hospital irrational’

CHITRAL: The medical superintendent (MS) of the District Headquarters Hospital Chitral has ordered seven female medical officers of the hospital to perform duty at the THQ hospital of Drosh turn by turn.

This has been done after people of Drosh warned of a protest against absence of any female doctor at the THQ hospital. Public circles here are of the view that the MS of the DHQ hospital was not supposed to issue such an order rather it was the district health officer who would have made arraignments to fill the vacant posts of doctors in Drosh.

Former president of the village council nazims’ association Sajjad Ahmed said the DHQ hospital was already faced with a shortage of doctors and the MS’ decision to send the seven female doctors to Drosh would further affect the working of the hospital in Chitral.

He said the vacant posts of female doctors at THQ hospital in Drosh should be filled on a permanent basis rather than making the stop-gap arrangement by dislocating the DHQ hospital doctors.

He said the DHQ hospital catered to the whole population of Chitral from Arandu to Broghil and needed more doctors while the THQ hospital served a specific population living in the Drosh town and nearby areas.

He said there were about 40 posts of specialist and other doctors vacant at the DHQ hospital and the government should fill these vacancies. Besides, he added, the order of MS should be withdrawn.

When contacted, the MS of the DHQ hospital said he had issued the order on the direction of the deputy commissioner of Lower Chitral. The female doctors would be perfuming duty in Drosh till Sept 23 as a temporary arrangement, he added.