THE Mayo Hospital is the oldest and one of the largest hospitals of Pakistan, completed in 1870, having a total bed capacity of 2,399 beds. The data available on the Mayo Hospital official site reveals that from July 2014 to June 2015, some 1,009,904 OPD; 474,443 indoor patients and 471,521 cases were treated in accidents and emergency department of the Mayo Hospital.

Patients from all over Pakistan come here for treatment, even those with mild ailments who can be taken care of on tehsil and district level by providing them with better health facilities and through early diagnosis. Despite being one of the largest public-sector hospitals, the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machine has been dysfunctional at the Mayo Hospital for a long time, a test that is frequently done for diagnosing various diseases. Lack of this facility adds to the patients’ misery because they have to wait again for weeks to get this test done at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

Moreover, one of the roads to Mayo Hospital A&E department is in very poor condition, while the other is not of much use during rush hours.

This may put the patient’s life in danger.The insufficient number of beds, unhygienic condition, lack of medicine, the unavailability of pure drinking water and behaviour of doctors and paramedical staff are other issues yet to be resolved.

The authorities concerned must take steps to ensure better health facilities at Mayo Hospital.

M. Qaisar Abbas

Lahore

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2017