KOHAT: The patients and doctors at the Women and Children Hospital here are subjected to miserable conditions especially in the emergency and operation theatre during checkups and operations in darkness in the absence of alternative backup power supply.

The installation of a separate feeder or an extra power line was in jeopardy for the last nine years despite completed surveys.

This correspondent witnessed the doctors conducting emergency checkups and treatment under the light of mobile phones.

Sources said that different wards, OT and emergency had made their own arrangements and by grants from people to lit one bulb on batteries through the solar system.

MS says their complaints are not being taken seriously

When contacted, medical superintendent of the hospital Dr Gul-e-Rana said that keeping in view the problems being faced by the patients and doctors the hospital administration had demanded a second power supply line through cantonment and exemption from loadshedding nine years ago. Surveys were also done and feasibility was prepared by then SDO Fida Khan, but they were pushed under the carpet.

She said that files were full with official correspondence with the health department, state minister Shehryar Afridi, CM’s adviser Ziaullah Bangash, XEN Pesco, deputy commissioners and commissioners in this regard, but unfortunately nobody was paying heed to resolve the problem.

She said that she would conduct an inquiry as to why electricity supply was not available in the emergency during loadshedding in the night.

ARRESTED: Police arrested peddlers selling heroin and ice drug to young people in the city besides nine gamblers from Bona Baba on Thursday.

The City police raided a point in the old bus stand and arrested one Abdul Khaliq of Shakardarra town for allegedly selling heroin and ice. After seizure of drugs he was taken to the police station.

Meanwhile, on a tip-off a team of Riaz Mohammad Shaheed police station raided a place near the mills Chowki and arrested one Sher Ali and recovered one kilogramme of hashish from him.

The Junglekhel police in a raid on a house in Bona Baba area arrested nine gamblers and seized Rs40,000 stake money from there. The police have registered cases against the suspects.

Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2020