SIALKOT: Patients of Daska have to face problems due to the shortage of beds in the Daska Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital.

The hospital, which caters to the people of Daska tehsil, has 187 beds for the last three decades. People demand that the Punjab Health Department increase beds after the growing number of the patients.

The hospital management said that they had brought the issue into the notice of the senior health department officials several times but all in vain.

The PML-Q government in Punjab spent Rs160 million on the construction of the THQ Hospital’s new building in the early 2000 but did not increase the number of beds.

Every day more than 1,200 patients visit the hospital, and of them dozens requiring indoor treatment are refused admission because of the non-availability of beds, said a hospital source. The hospital management said doctors had to put patients of surgery on a waiting list and the patients had to wait for six months in some cases to get their turn. The shortage of beds forces patients to visit Gujranwala or Lahore hospitals.

Sakeena Bibi (57), of village Jaamkey Cheema-Daska, said that she visited the Daska THQ Hospital for her gallbladder surgery on the prescription of her physician. Doctors asked her to visit after seven months for surgery. Now, Sakeena is thinking about visiting some private hospital.

Bashir Ahmed (63), of village Wadala Sindhuaan-Satrah, said that he visited the hospital for his orthopedic treatment last week. He said that doctors said that no bed was available asking him to come again after six months.

Similarly, the women in the need of labour room treatment were often denied admission by women medical officers (WMOs) and gynecologists at the hospital.

Patients said the shortage of beds had resulted in the inception of clinics by WMOs and gynecologists of the hospital in the city, which were doing good business.

Also, the ultrasound department of the Daska THQ Hospital had only one ultrasound machine, which was insufficient for the visiting patients. People demand that a female doctor be appointed at the ultrasound department to attend female patients.

There is a single window issuing slips to patients and every time a great rush of patients (especially women) is witnessed there standing in long queues to get prescription paper called ‘Parchi’. “It’s terrible to see patients in long lines only to get the parchi,” said a woman.

Patients said things could be made better in the hospital through a proper management.

They demanded that Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, Provincial Health Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid and Sialkot Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Tahir Wattoo look into the matter.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2018