BAHAWALNAGAR: Patients have been facing difficulties for the last three months because of the vacant post of radiologist in the district forcing them to go to Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH), Bahawalpur.

Muhammad Ameen, Nasrullah, Noor Hassan, Muhammad Abid, Asim Raza, Mahmood Ahmed and others said 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.

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 issues reports in specific cases.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2019