KARACHI: The management of the Sobhraj Maternity Hospital run by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) urgently requires anaesthesiologists to effectively run the operating theatre services round the clock.

An administrative official at the largest maternity hospital of the KMC situated near the Urdu Bazaar in Saddar Town said that there was no anaesthesiologist available in the health facility in the evening and night shifts.

Presently, there are only two anaesthesiologists available in this maternity hospital in the morning shift out of which one is set to retire within a few weeks. The hospital administration is facing hardships to cater to emergency patients in evening and night shifts.

The management has hired a private anaesthesiologist on minimum wages for evening and night shifts to run operating theatre.

On the other hand, the paediatric unit of Sobhraj Hospital has also been closed due to unavailability of paediatricians.

The nursery of the hospital is in very poor state while critical newborn babies are being referred to nearby health facilities due to shortage of ventilators.

The posts of nurses are also lying vacant as only 16 are working in the hospital in three shifts out of total 35 sanctioned posts.

Up to 3,000 people visit outpatient department (OPD) daily in the hospital while 20 to 25 deliveries are being performed each day. Admissions to the health facility are 40 to 50 daily.

The hospital urgently needs paediatricians, anaesthesiologists, nurses and upgrade of the nursery to improve healthcare in the facility.

Senior director of medical and health survives of KMC Dr Birbal Genani admitted that the KMC-run hospitals had been facing acute shortage of doctors, nurses, paramedics and support staff.

He added that shortage of manpower had badly affected the functioning of the health facilities and this issue needed to be taken seriously.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2019