PUBLIC hospitals are supposed to provide healthcare to people who need it, especially those who are illiterate. It is the staff’s responsibility to help and assist patients in a courteous manner.

I would not be so upset if I hadn’t seen paramedical staff behaving rudely. I was at the Khyber Teaching Hospital in Peshawar to visit a friend from a village. The staff was indifferent and rude. I felt so bad looking at how patients and their families were being treated. A man who had to admit his pregnant wife to the gynecological ward was refused because they didn’t have enough beds to accommodate her. Imagine!

Another patient was denied an ultrasound test because they had too many appointments — we eventually managed to get it done. Then there was an issue over an injection. The doctor had recommended an injection which cost Rs8,000 which was not available at the hospital. Once it was procured, the medical staff refused to administer the injection. We had to run in circles in order to get a trained professional to give the injection. I request the provincial government to take notice of this and do something to train the staff better.

Zulfiqar Ali Turi

Parachinar

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2018