HYDERABAD: In the wake of a recent visit to the Liaquat University Hospital by Commissioner Fayyaz Abbasi and Deputy Commissioner Zain Ul Abiden Memon, the provincial health secretary has been informed that no fewer than 45 machineries and equipment are lying dysfunctional at the institution — Sindh’s second largest tertiary care hospital.

A report submitted to the health secretary on April 17 highlighted the deficiencies that have been impacting the ‘economically disadvantaged’ patients coming to the hospital from across the district and many other parts of the interior of Sindh.

“The report has been submitted with the approval of the divisional commissioner,” said an administrative source.

The report clearly mentions that 45 machines, in all, are lying dysfunctional. They included three MRI, four CT Scan, six digital X-ray, 10 ultrasound and 17 anesthesia machines. Each MRI machines involves a repair cost of Rs30m that would cumulatively take the cost to Rs90m, if the report’s figures are anything to go by.

Rs694m required for repair and maintenance of 45 MRI, CT Scan and other machines, says Hyderabad commissioner

The report mentions that the critically needed machines are “observed to be out of service due to inadequate maintenance funding”.

“Both the emergency and OPD units were found lacking fundamental sanitation and spatial measures, presenting considerable health risks for patients and staff,” the report states.

It said that ICU and general medical wards, likewise, suffered from inadequate facilities including dysfunctional lifts and shortage of essential medical equipment, adversely affecting patient management and care.

It said that no surgery has been done in the cardiology ward over the last nine years, thereby raising concerns about intra departmental administration and hospital’s overall management. During visit of the hospital store room by the DC, it was observed that the hospital procured a Thallium Scan Machine in 2017-18 which could not be installed to date due to a missing component, namely ‘Hot Lab Centrifuge’.

The report says that when the DC inquired from hospital administration, the LUH medical superintendent (MS) said that the component was a radioactive machine whose import is prohibited. Hence, it is rather concerning that all components and parts of Thallium Scan Machine have been lying redundant in the store room since 2022 without any possibility of installation in future.

The MS informed the visiting officials, according to the report, that currently 10 cardiology consultants are posted at the department of cardiology but all posts of surgeons are still vacant. The department currently provides services of consultancy and with plans to start angioplasty in the future but due to shortage of funds the capacity of cardiology department is limited.

“The shortcomings disproportionately impact economically disadvantaged patients who depend on public healthcare services. Current state of the hospital has attracted significant media attention attributing to growing public concern,” said the report.

The report recommends that the health department may consider budget re-appropriation / reallocation of the amount of Rs294m from head of ‘salaries & remuneration’ to the head of ‘maintenance and repair’ as a special case in view of current status of dilapidating services at hospital.

It proposes that Rs398.394m may be approved under a PCI for enhancement of LUH’s emergency department services.

The report estimates that cumulatively Rs694m, inclusive of the around Rs400m mentioned above, is required under the special maintenance & repair proposal.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2026