HYDERABAD, Oct 26: Medical Superintendent of Civil Hospital Hyderabad Dr Hadi Bux Jatoi has said that four months have passed since the commencement of new fiscal year but the hospital has not received a single paisa for its 2004-5 budget.

He was speaking to members of the district council here on Tuesday at a ceremony where he was presented a shield in recognition of his services as medical superintendent of the CHH and director-general of health services.

He said that the hospital's expenses had increased manifold because of a rise in turnout of patients.

He said that 200 beds had been added in the hospital, the number of OPD patients stood at 4000 on daily basis against 1,500 of previous years whereas 6,000 to 7,000 reported at the casualty ward each month.

The medical superintendent agreed with the district council members that the Civil Hospital needed expansion.

He complained that the hospital equipment had become obsolete but they could not be replaced because of lack of funds.

He said that a MRI unit would be made available in the hospital which also badly needed a CT scan machine.

He said that there were several schemes in pipeline including a three-storey cardiac ward building for which Rs40 million had been approved.

Elevators were to be installed in neurology and orthopaedic wards and an angioplasty machine would also be purchased for hospital, the medical superintendent added.

Dr Jatoi said that Rs4.5 million had been spent on renovation and repair work of private ward buildings.

Dr Jatoi said that he had urged doctors to be courteous with patients which cost nothing.

Referring to services rendered by him, he said: "I have not done any favour if I have improved conditions of the hospital because I belong to Hyderabad and am a graduate of the Liaquat Medical College".