26 October 2004	Tuesday	11 Ramazan 1425

KARACHI, Oct 25: More than 10 operations were postponed and hundreds of other patients suffered, as they could not get ultrasound and X-ray tests at Sindh Government Hospital, New Karachi, due to power breakdown on Monday.

Medical Superintendent Dr Abdul Majid and Additional Medical Superintendent Capt (Retd) Dr Qaiser Sultan told PPI that the power shutdown lasted from 9am to 11.15am when there used to rush of patients in OPDs of various departments.

"We had to postpone operations at our operation theatres. Besides, hundreds of patients had to return homes due to non- functioning of machines and other equipment at the departments of radiology, physiotherapy, ENT, chest, family planning and dental OPD due to the power breakdown," they said.

They said that power fluctuation was very common even before Ramazan causing damage to electronic items. Hospital also have five dialysis machines that cannot run without electricity or backup generator," they added.

The doctors said that there was no separate PMT or sub- station for the hospital, whereas requests for the same had been made some six years back to the KESC. "We had a generator of 5KVA that was not sufficient to meet the whole electricity requirement. We made a request to Sindh Minister for Development Shoaib Bukhari and now a generator of 100 KVA has been provided by MPA Adil Siddiqui through MPAs' Fund at a cost of Rs1.8 million," they added.

"Around 1,800 patients visit OPD on daily basis from various localities of North Karachi, New Karachi, Surjani Town, adjacent areas of North Nazimabad, Manghopir and Gadap. For the benefit of such a large number of patients, new generator will be installed within a week," they said. -PPI