DADU, March 28: Dadu Civil Hospital, the oldest and biggest in the district, lacks a children’s ward and faces acute shortage of gynaecologists, orthopaedics, ear and nose specialists, paramedics and medicines forcing the poor patients to opt for private clinics whose exorbitant bills often prove last straw on their fragile backs.

The hospital donated by an English lady Ghraham in 1940 for the service of the poor has no child ward and the doctors are compelled to use one large merged for two to three children.

Khan Mohammad Gabole, father of a patient Abdul Basit, complained that the doctors had prescribed four types of medicine for his son but the official at the hospital’s store had given him only one bottle of syrup. He said that he had no money to buy medicines from private stores. He paid his way to reach the hospital with all he had, he said.

Ms Azizan Khatoon Leghari, mother of a patient Walidad, said that she had her son admitted after he complained of gastroenteritis and high fever some eight days ago but she was forced to purchase medicines from private medical stores.

She said that the doctors were cooperating with them but the hospital officials specially at the medical store were not cooperating. She said her Husband was a labourer and she would no longer afford purchasing medicines.

In-charge of child ward Mohammad Ismail Lashari said that the ward received 240 to 250 patients daily, who arrived from Moro, Kandiaro, Naushahro Feroze, Mehar, Johi and Sehwan and admitted that the hospital had acute shortage of beds and staff.

He said that gastroenteritis and measles were the most common diseases among the children. Senior clerk at OPD Akbar Lashari said that the OPD received 1,000 to 1,400 patients daily.

Laboratory Assistant Wazir Ali said that they carried out tests for hepatitis b and c for Rs 60, sugar for Rs 20 and X-ray for Rs35 while the private laboratories were receiving Rs60 for sugar test, Rs350 for hepatitis b and c and Rs100 for X-ray.

A senior doctor and general secretary of Pakistan Medical Association Taufique Ahmed Memon said that the hospital lacked gynaecologists, orthopaedics and skin specialists.

Another problem perhaps the most serious the hospital faced was unavailability of sweet water as the underground water had turned brackish and was not fit for drinking, he said and added that shortage of staff was another serious problem.

The hospital’s civil surgeon Syed Ghous Ali shah dismissed the complaints of shortage of medicine and said that the hospital helped the poor patients in buying medicines from Zakat fund.

Apparently referring to patients complaints and protest against the hospital administration he said that a few elements were creating hurdles for the administration and trying to blackmail it to achieve their personal gains.

He said that the patients preferred to go to private hospitals perhaps due to lack of facilities at the hospital and bad behaviour of doctors and health staff.

EDO health Dr Dhani Bux Thebo said that the many government hospitals including the Civil Hospital faced serious shortage of medical staff, specialists and lower staff due to a ban on fresh appointments. He denied reports of shortage of medicines in the Civil Hospital and said that he was releasing budget every month to the hospital according to demands.

The owner of a private medical store outside the hospital Hajan Khan Panhawr put the blame on nepotism and corruption in the hospital for its poor service. He said that the hospital administration did not properly spend the budget.

The city has been scene of several protests organised by Young Citizens Welfare Association against inefficient officials of the Civil Hospital and substandard medicines.