SIALKOT, June 8: The Government Allama Iqbal Memorial (DHQ) Hospital has been without a clean potable water facility since long, causing great inconvenience to indoor and outdoor patients.

The hospital’s management has repeatedly brought the matter to the notice of the health department, but to no avail.

The supply of contaminated water due to old and rusty pipes in the hospital is the unanimous complaint of doctors, patients and all those concerned.

So pathetic is the situation for patients admitted to hospital’s upper storey that they have to come down to get the drinking water. Many water-borne diseases are also being caused on account of the contaminated water.

In addition, most of patients are forced to recourse to private hospitals for better services and treatment, which are highly expensive and beyond reach of the poor people.

The state-run hospitals are deprived of many facilities owing to lack of interest by government functionaries. The dental unit of the DHQ Hospital has not been functioning for the last 15 years. Besides, the hospital has no facility for patients needing dialysis.

The hospital has only one operation theatre, which is unable to cater to the need of ever-increasing patients. More operation theatres with latest instruments and appointment of anaesthetists to aid surgeons are immediately required.

Wards for indoor patients are in miserable condition, with most of beds have passed their period while the hygienic situation is worse as well. Patients feel insecure because their medicines are usually stolen.

Cats and dogs can be seen roaming in hospital wards while choked gutters drain out dirty water.

It is learnt that DHQ doctors have established their own clinics and hospitals nearby to make most of the benefit out of the deteriorated situation prevailing in the hospital.

Social circles have urged the district government to impose ban on the private practice of in-service doctors to ensure better treatment facilities to patients at government hospitals.