RAHIM YAR KHAN: Even though two huge development projects worth Rs9.6 billion have been launched at Shaikh Zayed Medical College and Hospital (SZMCH), the facility has been facing an acute shortage and need for certain departments for several years.

Due to its geographical location, SZMCH facilitates over 10 million people from not only Rahim Yar Khan, but also the neighbouring Rajanpur, Ghotki, Dera Bugti, Sui and Kashmore districts of Sindh and Balochistan.

The mother and child as well as gynaecology and paediatric departments of the hospital were always overcrowded and despite housing three gynae units, often multiple patients were treated on one bed. Similarly, there was no burns unit in such a large health facility.

Former chief minister Usman Buzdar had promised a burns centre for SZMCH, but it never materialised.

Similarly, a cancer centre was also the need of the hour as patients from the region had to travel to Bahawalpur or Lahore for treatment. However, on a positive note, work was under way on a 488-bed five-storey Hazrat Hameeduddin Hakim Surgical Complex worth Rs7bn and a 66-bed pilot Hub and Spoke Zahirpir Trauma Centre worth Rs2.6bn.

SZMCH Principal Prof Dr Saleem Leghari told Dawn that there were only 150 seats in the medical college since its beginning in 2006, while most public sector institutes had 300. Besides a dearth of seats there was an urgent need for faculty also.

He added that the neighbouring 24 acres of the district jail had been transferred to SZMCH in 2007, but the jail had yet to vacate the land.

Similarly, it had been allotted 90 acres at Chak 82-P near Daanish School, which was 20 kilometres from the city.

He further said the hospital needed over 200 acres and a “concept note” had also been sent to the government.

Medical Superintendent Dr Agha Touhid told this correspondent that the Zahirpir Trauma Centre would be completed this year and facilitate people travelling on the 175km strip of motorway M-5 and National Highways N-5 and N-55.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2023