August 21, 2006	Monday	Rajab 25, 1427

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DADU, Aug 20: The Institute of Chest Diseases in Kotri is working without chest specialists, radiologists, general surgeons, physicians and anaesthetists since 1995.

Due to failure of the government to post specialists chest diseases patients in Sindh have been deprived of medical facilities.

The institute, formerly known as the TB sanatorium, was established in 1954 on the hills of Soan Wallahar of Kotri taluka.

Spread over 54 acres, the hospital caters to the need of patients of tuberculosis and other chest diseases in Sindh, adjacent area of Balochistan and southern Punjab.

The 204-beded hospital (TB sanatorium) was upgraded and made Institute of Chest Diseases in 1995 by the then chief minister Syed Abdullah Shah.

Hospital working under the provincial government has two female, four male and children wards.

Approximately 212 patients are admitted to the hospital belonging to different districts from Jacobabad to Umerkot.

Some patients, belonging to lower Punjab and adjacent area of Balochistan, were also admitted to the hospital.

The OPD is being looked after by a senior medical officer who is working on the seat of chest specialist. At least 20 quarters initially constructed for the residence of patients were in deteriorated condition and no patient was living in these quarters.

Conditions of at least 86 staff quarters and four bungalows were deteriorating.

Dr Liaquat Rajput, additional director of the Institute of Chest Diseases, told Dawn that 212 patients were admitted to six wards and being treated for the disease since the last six months.

He said that the hospital was spending Rs2,000 per patient every month on medicines and diet.

Senior medical officer Dr Shoukat Shaikh said that 150 to 200 patients daily attend the OPD.

Dr Fazalur Rehman Soomro said that the number of TB patients was increasing every year.

He said the hilly belt from Jacobabad to Jamshoro was most affected and most of the cases were reported from Kohistan and Kachho belts of the districts.

He said that most of the patients from ranging between the age of 10 to 20 years were admitted to this hospital.

He said that due to poor nutrition and poverty, TB was gripping the population fast.

The director of the institute, Dr Jamil Shaikh, said that at least six chest specialists, four general surgeons, two radiologists, two physicians and two anaesthetists were required at the hospital.

He said that 16 doctors including lady doctors of the hospital were working at other hospitals on deputation which had affected the working of the hospital.

He said that they were providing a complete treatment to the patients. He demanded that the postgraduate centre should be established in the hospital and the hospital should be handed over to the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences for it better performance.