DADU, Feb 19: The 50-bed Kotri taluka hospital is facing an acute shortage of paramedic staff, doctors, specialists’ wards, surgical instruments and medicines.

The first block of the hospital’s building having a capacity of 20 beds was constructed in February 1975 while another block with a capacity of 30 beds was constructed in January 2004.

About 77 posts of paramedical staff are lying vacant. No specialist doctor is available in the hospital. Doctors holding diploma in skin, heart, gynaecology and dental diseases are working in the hospital.

The general surgery has not been carried out after transfer of general surgeon Munir Memon to the Dow Medical University about two months back.

Only two wards of male and female are functioning and patients of the general surgery, orthopaedic, heart, skin and medico-legal cases are admitted to these wards.

Half of the hospital’s old building is occupied by the Jamshoro health EDO where offices of the health department are set up.

Additional medical superintendent Dr Meeran Shah told Dawn that the Kotri taluka hospital was charging patients for X-ray, ultrasound and ECG.

The Jamshoro district nazim and the health secretary have been informed about a shortage of doctors but they have taken no action.

Deputy MS Dr Hanif Arain said that before establishment of the EDO’s office in the hospital’s building, offices of medical superintendent, additional and deputy medical superintendents, eye OPD and child OPD were functioning there but now these were shifted to the new administration block.

He said that at present only 45 persons in two shifts were working at the hospital hence causing hardships to patients.

In charge of the ENT ward, Dr Ghulam Hyder Shaikh, said that around 30 to 40 operations were being carried out every day in the hospital but there was shortage of operation instruments and medicines.

A laboratory attendant, Wazir Ali, said that around 500 to 600 patients from different parts of Thatta and Jamshoro districts visited the hospital daily.