RAWALPINDI: Water accumulation in the basement of Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) has become a serious problem for the hospital administration, prompting the district administration to assess the safety of the building.

A senior hospital official told Dawn that rainwater seeping into the basement of the hospital’s OPD has left the facility in a dilapidated state, causing a foul smell and stench and putting at risk the lives of thousands of patients who visit daily, as well as doctors, nurses and other staff.

In view of the long-standing issue, the hospital’s Medical Superintendent, Dr Sharjeel, sent a letter to the Building Department, Rawalpindi Circle.

According to the official, the decaying basement walls have weakened the building’s foundations, while the basement itself has turned into a stagnant pool resembling sewage.

He said that despite spending millions of rupees on the hospital’s upgradation, the foundations of the 65-year-old building remain weak and the basement has become severely deteriorated.

“There is no system to drain the water accumulated in the basement over the years,” he added.

He further said that no permanent solution has been found to address the water accumulation in the basement and the empty space.

When contacted, BBH Medical Superintendent Dr Sharjeel said that teams from the district administration, WASA and other departments visited the site after the hospital sought assistance to assess the building’s condition.

He said a letter had been sent to the superintending engineer and executive engineer of the building department, stating that since the building’s construction, rainwater has continuously accumulated in the basement.

The hospital administration has been removing the water using dewatering pumps, but persistent seepage from the foundations over the years has placed the structure in a dangerous condition.

He said a technical team should be dispatched immediately and necessary emergency measures taken.

He added that the issue was longstanding, and the district administration had assured that a report on the building’s condition would be prepared soon.

He said that after receiving the safety report, it would be forwarded to the Punjab government so the matter could be resolved once and for all.

He added that fumigation was being carried out regularly to prevent the spread of dengue and other viruses due to water accumulation in the basement.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2026