RECENTLY, I had to take my wife to the Services Hospital Qasimabad in Hyderabad with severe kidney pain. The doctor in the emergency ward advised an urgent ultrasound, but that could not be done owing to scheduled electricity outage. There were dozens of patients waiting in the queue for the service to resume. When I requested that the hospital’s generator be used, I was informed that the medical superintendent (MS) had not permitted it.

On meeting the MS, I questioned why a government hospital, funded by taxpayers and the provincial government, could not provide uninterrupted emergency diagnostic services. Instead of resolving the issue, I was told that the generator could not be operated for ultrasound machines, and that a request had been made to the Hyderabad Electricity Supply Company (Hesco) for ensuring uninterrupted power supply.

What is the purpose of spending billions of rupees on the Health Department if essential emergency services stop during routine loadshedding? Government hospitals have a legal and moral responsi-

bility to ensure that emergency patients are not denied life-saving diagnostic facilities due to administrative failures. The Sindh government should investigate the matter, ensuring that all state-run hospitals keep their backup generators operational for crucial diagnostic services.

Shahnawaz Bhatti
Hyderabad

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2026