KARACHI, Jan 21: The Sobhraj Maternity Hospital, the biggest maternity hospital under the management of the city district government, has been facing serious problems because of lack of basic facilities.

The hospital has two ambulances and a van lying out of order and lying dumped in the compound for a couple of years. As no attempt has been made to get them repaired, the vehicles have almost destroyed owing to their constant exposure to sunlight and rainwater.

An official of the hospital stated the hospital did not even have a vehicle to bring its staff to hospital in case of any emergency. There is only one pick-up still in order and the vehicle is being used for all transportation purposes.

The stone-built building of the hospital constructed in 1928 also lacks proper lighting arrangement. Sanitary conditions, particularly in private rooms, in the building are fast deteriorating while there is no proper arrangement for water supply in bathrooms. In the absence of tap water, the patients, staff and visitors have to use subsoil water, which is causing damage to pipelines.

He said that the city government’s department concerned was apprised of the situation with request for steps to resolve all these problems. However, all that which has been done so far is the digging carried out for laying a new pipeline for water supply in bathrooms.

On an average, 5,000 patients visit OPDs at the Sobhraj hospital in a month. The number of in-house patients remains around 750 in addition to the 400 maternity cases, including operation cases, a month. Most of the patients come from the poor and middle classes.

The urgent requirement of the hospital is an ambulance and van to cater to the transportation needs of some 225 staff members, besides arrangement for lighting, improved hygienic conditions and safe drinking water for the staff, patients and visitors.—PPI