Basic Health Unit

Thanks to ANT-Hiroshima a Basic Health Unit (BHU) in Shamshatoo, Peshawar, N.W.F.P., could be established. After the architectural planning had been completed, construction started in September 2007 with an expected completion date in November 2008. However, the construction was stopped due to insurgency and army operations going on in the area. Once the situation was back to normal, the remaining part of the construction could be completed. In the meantime, ANT-Hiroshima and HOPE’87 continued to support the holding of a health camp every Sunday with a male doctor and a female doctor visiting the camps and offering free consultation.Furthermore, medicine was provided at subsidized rates to the poor communities of the area. Due to the critical security situation in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the construction of the Basic Health Unit near Peshawar, financed by the long-term partner organisation ANT-Hiroshima, was further delayed. Especially in 2009, work came to a complete stand still due to nearby terrorist attacks. With an improvement of the security conditions after the Army operations against the insurgents midway through 2010, the construction was resumed. The construction of a Basic Health Unit near Peshawar, Shamshatoo (KPK) was finally completed in December 2010. After completion of the construction works, ADC, proLoka, ANT Hiroshima and HOPE’87 joined hands and co-funded the operations of the BHU for 30 months starting from January 2011 until June 2013. The BHU provides quality medical services to the people of the area at very low or subsidized rates. The BHU is also equipped with a laboratory and a hygiene campaign is also being carried out among the community and school children. More than 19,000 patients have visited the facility for medical consultation and have benefited from quality health services at affordable rates. Due to the availability of basic health facilities, a remarkable reduction in the disease rate among the community and especially among women and children has been observed.

Cross cutting issues: 

HIV/Aids, gender equality, hazard risk reduction

Project Background: 

Pakistan is 146th on the Human Development Index of the UN. A large part of the population is deprived of basic necessities like education and health. Several crises have shaken the country in the last few years like the IDP (Internally Displaced People) crisis of 2009, floods in 2010 and 2011 in Sindh.