PESHAWAR, Nov 6: Shortage of women technicians at public hospitals in the province is causing problems for women patients.

There is no woman ECG technician at the Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) and the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH).

Talking to Dawn Zubaida Bibi, the only female ECG technician in the province said: “Sometimes it becomes very difficult to conduct tests as more than 100 patients visit one hospital to have their tests done on a daily basis.

“Women patients are hesitant to go to a male technician for tests, so those who come from far off districts come to the Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) because of the fact that it has a female ECG technician.”

In charge of the ECG section Fida Moahmmed said: “There are some tests, such as the Echo and Exercise Tolerance Test (ETT), which involve physical contact with patient. That is why women patients usually hesitate to be  attended by male technicians.” 

There is a paramedical training institute at the Lady Reading Hospital functioning for the last four years.

The condition to obtain a two-year training diploma at the institute is that students should have an Intermediate certificate (science  group). Those who get admitted to the institute do not receive any stipend.

One reason for shortage of women technicians is that they prefer to seek admission to nursing schools rather than going to paramedical training institutes, because trainee nurses get Rs1,275 as stipend on a monthly basis.

“There are no incentives for technicians, whereas nurses get more chances of promotion,” a doctor told Dawn.

What makes the situation even more confusing is that according to a notification issued on Aug 14 it is mandatory for hospitals to have female technicians conduct medical tests of women patients.