RAHIM YAR KHAN: A health crisis has emerged in Chak 212-P, a remote village located on Tillu Road in Sadiqabad, where residents have long been forced to consume contaminated subsoil water due to a lack of clean drinking water.

Since 2017, at least 98 villagers, most of them from the Shar clan, have undergone appendectomy surgeries after they suffered abdominal pain, allegedly caused by misdiagnoses and questionable medical practices.

According to a local elder, the issue began when 10 to 15 villagers (between 7 and 14 years) initially experienced intestinal pain and sought treatment from local quacks and nearby health facilities. Despite medication, their symptoms persisted, and over the years, more residents reported similar problems. Between 2017 and 2025, 98 appendectomy surgeries were performed, most of them at private hospitals in Sadiqabad.

After 2019, several unlicensed practitioners in the Tillu Road area were fined by the District Health Authority (DHA) and allowed to continue practicing under certain conditions. Deputy District Health Officer (DDHO) Dr Waqas Shakoor allegedly instructed them to refer patients to Touheed Medical Complex (TMC) on Katcha Shahi Road, Sadiqabad. It is alleged that Dr Shakoor was the patron-in-chief of TMC, owned by Dr Touheed Akhtar.

The matter came to light on May 29, 2025, after videos related to the surgeries were circulated on social media. The elder revealed that this year alone, 36 new cases were reported in Chak 212-P, with 26 patients already undergoing appendectomies at TMC and 10 more awaiting surgery. Each patient was reportedly charged Rs15,000 and of them, Rs8,000 was for the surgery and Rs7,000 for medicines. Also, six to seven children from a single family, that of Amir Bakhsh Shar, were among those operated on.

Civil society and social activists have condemned the health authority’s alleged negligence and accused authority Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Ghazanfar Shafiq of overlooking the issue. He is the son of a former ruling party MPA and a local of Sadiqabad. They demanded a transparent inquiry and strict accountability without political interference.

When contacted, CEO Shafiq said that he became aware of the situation on May 30, after social media posts. An inquiry committee, initially including Dr Shakoor, was formed but later reconstituted due to his involvement in TMC. Dr Shafiq confirmed that 25 appendectomies were conducted between May 14 and 21, supported by ultrasound findings. Five doctors—Dr Abdul Mohaimin, Dr Muhammad Wasim, Dr Tariq, Dr Waqar and Dr Aysha Asghar—admitted to performing the surgeries.

After initial findings, it was discovered that TMC lacked a license from the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC), and its operation theatre had not undergone mandatory culture testing. The facility has since been sealed, and records of some patients were recovered, though incomplete. The cases against the five doctors have been referred to PHCC Lahore.

Dr Shafiq said that some people were trying to politicise the issue, but the root cause was the village’s contaminated water supply. He added that DHA employee Asghar Ali, who was implicated in the case, would be formally investigated.

However, no comment was made on potential action against the TMC owner or patron-in-chief.

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2025