KARACHI, Oct 7: The Civil Hospital Karachi is in dire need of major repair, and a master plan, to bring an end to persisting problems like water shortage, sanitation, electricity failure, etc.
The hospital is surviving on obsolete and incapacious infrastructure of power, water supply and sewerage.
Such problems have become a routine multiplying the sufferings of poor patients, said the Medical Superintendent CHK, Dr Kaleem Butt, while talking to journalists at his office on Friday.
He said the CHK was established as a 250-bed district level hospital in 1898. It’s spread over 100,000 sq-ft. It was upgraded to the status of a teaching hospital in 1945 and has 1,728 beds at present.
The hospital has 3,277 employees including 125 consultants, 590 doctors, 820 house officers, 405 nursing staff, etc.
However, there has always remained a shortage of staff there, as no fresh appointments were made due to a ban on employment during the last 11-12 years, he told.
The average daily admission of patients is about 120, daily visits to the OPD are about 5,000, to the emergency are 1,000, indoor patients (treated) are 1,100, and the number of operations done daily are from 80 to 100. The bed occupancy rate is 65 per cent, turnover per bed is 23 patients, and the number of beds per doctor is three, he mentioned.
Dr Butt said resources at the CHK were needed according to the increasing number of patients.
Provision of water and electricity, and the sewerage system are major problems at the hospital. The infrastructure being almost over 100 years old, has never been repaired nor improved, resulting in poor hygienic conditions all over the hospital, he said.
Speaking about improvements at the hospital, the MS said that in the first stage, it had been decided to improve the casualty department. An additional 20 beds would be provided to the department.
Usually, in mass casualties, the hospital is unable to admit a huge number of patients, however, after the addition, the strength beds at the casualty department would rise to 55, he said, adding that old beds or their mattress would also be replaced, he told.
He said provision of medicines and investigation would be ensured to each and every patient in wards, emergency and the OPDs.
“We have maintained a separate store, which has all required medicines for about 200 patients to meet any grave emergency.
The problem of shortage of staff in the night shift at the casualty department was also being solved, Dr Butt said, adding that three doctors had been deputed to the emergency from various OPDs.
The secretary health has also assured to provide some doctors for the night shift at the casualty department. “This will redress complaints regarding non-availability of more doctors in the said shift,” he added.
Regarding cleanliness at the hospital, he said there were 320 posts for sweepers, but only 150-160 of them were working at the hospital. The second reason was shortage of water at the hospital, he said.—PPI
