LARKANA: On complaints of non-provision of anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) and anti-snake venom (ASV) at Naudero, Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto and Waris Dino Machi, Ratodero’s Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate Ahmed Ali Gabol paid surprise visits to health facilities on Wednesday.

The judge directly went to a 100-bedded hospital being run by an NGO, Integrated Health Services (IHS), in Naudero. He found 11 doctors, including three women and eight men, absent. The medical superintendent (MS) was among them. He marked them absent in the duty roster, sources said. On checking, he found the vaccines of hepatitis, ARV and ASV available in the store.

Patients pointed out that despite availability of different vaccines, the staff refused to give them to needy people.

Around 100 patients were waiting for ultrasound as the doctor concerned had not reached the hospital. A dispenser told the judge that the doctor would arrive at around 10.30 am. Patients and their attendants said they had been waiting for the doctor for a long time and pointed towards the shortage of medicines.

The judge was told that the MS was ill and an in-charge was posted to look after the affairs on his behalf. But he was not there. The judge expressed dismay over the parking of auto-rickshaws at the main gate of the hospital, which blocked the way of ambulances carrying patients to the hospital.

He immediately called in police and asked them to remove the rickshaw stand. On hearing about judge’s visit, doctors started coming to the hospital, the sources said. The judge later moved to 30-bedded Rural Health Centre Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto where the situation was almost the same.

Later, he visited Basic Health Unit Waris Dino Machi where the condition was not different. In the absence of the MS, a dispenser was running the unit.

Patients and their attendants said it was quite troublesome to get prompt medical attention in case of dog and snake bite incidents. These health facilities cover a vast population.

The judge sent his visits’ report to the district and sessions judge of Larkana.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2019