BAHAWALNAGAR: Patients and citizens have been facing difficulties for the last three months because of the vacant post of radiologist in the district and patients have to go to the Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH), Bahawalpur, to get medico-legal reports.

Muhammad Ameen, Nasrullah, Noor Hassan, Muhammad Abid, Asim Raza, Mahmood Ahmed and others said that in matters related to courts, patients were referred from tehsil headquarters hospitals to the Bahawalnagar District Headquarters Hospital.

They said that earlier there was only one radiologist in the district at the DHQ Hospital, which would delay reports for days because of lots of work. Now, for the past three months patients were being referred to the BVH after the seat of the radiologist fell vacant even at the DHQ Hospital.

People demanded that the health department resolve the issue.

SDPO Syed Ali Raza Kazmi said that because of the delay in getting medico-legal reports, investigation into cases was being affected and it also wasted the precious time of the investigating officers and prolonged legal proceedings for the people.

A few doctors of the DHQ hospital said the post of anesthesiologist was also vacant at the hospital but the administration, as a temporary measure, got an anesthesiologist to provide his services for three days a week. They said that a similar arrangement, if the administration desired, could be made for the radiologist until a permanent person could be appointed.

Medical Superintendent Dr Tahir Hussain Khilji said that radiologist Liaquat Khalid retired last year and he was re-appointed for a year on ad-hoc basis but his contract expired in March. Since then, he said, no one could be appointed to the post. He added that orthopedic surgeon Dr Amjad had been working as radiologist and he issued reports in specific cases.

Chief Executive Officer-Health Dr Waseem Ahmed told Dawn that for the posting of a radiologist at the DHQ hospital, interviews were underway but he said that doctors were reluctant to come to a backward area like Bahawalnagar.

According to Dr Waseem, several paramedical posts were also vacant and could not be filled despite several attempts.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2019