DERA GHAZI KHAN: The absence of senior doctors from emergency department, gynae ward, trauma centre and intensive care ward of the teaching hospital of the Ghazi Khan Medical College has put question marks on the working of the health facility as the patients with life threatening injuries or diseases are being treated by trainee post-graduate resident doctors.

The apathy of senior doctors has caused three controversial deaths of patients last week alone and two inquiries are ongoing on the directions of the deputy commissioner as per a handout by the district government of Dera Ghazi Khan.

This is being done despite the hospital is under the special attention of the health department on the instruction of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.

The emergency ward and trauma centre of the teaching hospital are running without the presence of consultants while the provision of medicines is scarce. Critical patients are to depend on the experience post-graduate resident doctors and nurses, a senior consultant told Dawn on the condition of anonymity.

Several patients and their attendants told Dawn consultant doctors did not spend duty hours at the emergency ward. Most of them are ‘on call’.

Spokesperson for the hospital Dr Abdul Rehan Amir said in his WhatsApp message that despite the administration’s best efforts, no consultant or senior doctor was ready to perform their duties at the emergency ward. In one such case, senior trader leader Sheikh Merajudin Quraishi remained unattended by senior doctor or consultant for several hours.

Up to 49 consultants, 127 medical officers and 114 paramedics are employed at the teaching hospital but mismanagement and poor administration have failed to ensure the presence of consultants at emergency and gyne wards and trauma centre to give back up to doctors and paramedics. Only five anesthetists are working at operation tables of gyne, trauma, general surgery, urology and orthopedic whereas the sanctioned posts are 20.

According to standard operating procedure of health facility, every department or branch of hospital should have its own intensive care unit but at teaching hospital of the Ghazi Khan Medical College, there is one intensive care unit with 14 beds, supervised by house officer, instead of one doctor for two to four beds in intensive care unit under supervision of the consultant.

The hospital is suffering from mismanagement, insufficient beds, shortage of anesthetists and medicines even though the hospital caters to patients from districts of Balochistan and Sindh.

Earlier, the hospital pharmacy used to remain open for 24 hours and now it is open for 12 hours.

There are only 390 beds available in the hospital that cater to patients of gyne, trauma, emergency, urology, orthopedic, cardiology, eye, surgical, neuro and other wards.

Another building having 359 beds and an upgraded cardiology ward and a burn center is in the final stages of completion.

Deputy Commissioner Mian Mazhar Iqbal Mahar told Dawn that he directed the medical superintendent to ensure the 24 hours presence of consultants at all wards of the hospital.

Patients have yet to see the impact of the deputy commissioner’s orders.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2019