RAWALPINDI: The newly-opened emergency department of Benazir Bhutto Hospital faces shortage of doctors and paramedical staff as the recruitment has not begun as yet.

The emergency department became functional on February 21 and with the addition of two new operation theatres (OTs) in future more staff will be needed.

“At present two surgeon, four staff nurses, three OT technicians and two anesthetists are working at the emergency department,” said Dr. Haider Akhter of Benzir Bhutto Hospital.

He said that two surgeons, four staff nurses, six OT technicians and two anesthetists were required to run the new operation theatres round the clock at emergency department.

He said the provincial government had provided the machinery but without the manpower, it is useless. He said that even sweepers, helpers and ward boys had not been appointed at the emergency department as yet. The BBH administration had recruited the staff in December 2016 but after the corruption charges, the recruitment was cancelled.

A senior doctor of BBH said that former medical superintendent Dr. Asif Qadir Mir had recruited the staff. He said the matter was pending with anti-corruption establishment while the recruitment was cancelled. He said that new recruitment was not made yet and the administration wanted to run the emergency department with the available staff.

However, he said that it was not possible for the doctors to run the emergency with limited staff. He said the hiring of anesthetists and staff nurses was necessary as the surgeon did not operate the patients without them.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2017