SUKKUR: A large chunk of plaster fell off the ceiling of medical ward-II in the Khairpur Civil Hospital injuring three in-house patients on late Thursday evening.

The sudden happening caused panic and chaos as patients and their attendants ran helter-skelter to safety. The debris fell on several beds and floor of the ward.

People’s hue and cry attracted the hospital staff who rushed into the ward to know about the cause of the chaos. The injured patients, including Maharaj Metlo and Allah Warayo Lashari, were provided treatment and all other patients, along with the other people present inside, were evacuated. The in-house patients were accommodated in another ward amid scenes of panic and fear.

The Khairpur district health officer (DHO), when contacted for his comment, sent his version of the incident to Dawn. He said that the plaster of a small portion of the medical ward’s ceiling fell down at about 11:30pm on Thursday.

He claimed that the M&R (maintenance and repair) work was currently underway. Roof repair and treatment is also part of the work.

The DHO said that 50pc of the ward’s roof was estimated to have been affected during the unprecedented rains in 2022.

“There were some cracks in the ceiling,” he said, adding that “fortunately, no major casualties occurred” due to the collapse of the plaster. He acknowledged that “two persons were slightly injured and were given first aid”.

“I inspected the ward and the ceiling. The entire ward was evacuated as a precaution and the patients were immediately shifted to another safe ward. An inquiry has been ordered and M&R engineers have been called,” he said.

However, senior government officials at the hospital, speaking to Dawn, expressed their concern over lack of attention to the condition of the crumbling ceiling plaster for nearly three years.

Citing the pictures and videos taking rounds in the social media, they pointed out that exposed portion of the ceiling clearly showed the iron rods gripping the concrete were badly rusted. “This condition has been caused by months of seepage,” they said, adding that the situation must have made the authorities concerned to realise what could happen any time.

The authorities did have ample time to solidify the ceiling by ensuring that proper works were carried out, they argued.

The officials also wondered that the hospital administration never tried to avoid the risk as it continued with the admission and treatment of patients in the ward.

They doubted that the funds for the maintenance and repair at the hospital were used as per the requirement. They asserted that an inquiry into the use of funds should be conducted.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2025