DADU, May 8 Patients at the Dadu Civil Hospital complain of facing difficulty getting food, drugs and drinking water and claim they have to buy drugs from private stores.

They blamed a row between the officers of the hospital management for disruption in supply of food for the past two days.

The surgical ward has no facility for drinking water and the 160-bed hospital has no separate ward for children. Only 18 beds have been put aside for children at the ENT ward.

The patients complained about purchasing medicines from private stores and alleged that the hospital was not providing them drugs, especially for child patients.

Ms Hafeezan, mother of Amir Pahi, 2, who suffers from gastroenteritis, complained that she had to purchase a drip from a private store after she was told the hospital's store had run out of drips.

Shahar Bano, mother of another gastroenteritis patient, said that the hospital was not providing them drugs prescribed by the doctors. She was very poor and could not afford costly medicines for her ailing son, she moaned.

Parents of other children admitted to the ward including, Munawar Ali Khoso, 18 months, Shahzad, 20 months, Aisha, 13 months, and Rashid, one year, repeated the same complaint.

Three children Naseem, Waseem and Musarrat who had come from Mast Kehar Shah village of Johi taluka were being treated for gastroenteritis in the corridor because of shortage of beds.

Manzoor Chandio, the children's father, said that he had bought medicines from private stores for the past two days. Doctors' behaviour was good and cordial but they were facing problems due to lack of facilities, he said.

Paediatrician Dr Mohammad Ismail Lashari said that 300 patients of gastroenteritis and malaria reported in a day at the OPD. Of them 100 were admitted to the 18 bed ward, he said.

He said that the quantity of medicines was sufficient but it did not match the number of child patients, which was very high.

Civil Surgeon Dr Toufeeq Memon said that the hospital had not received food budget for the past three months. The cook had left the job because he had been arranged privately, he said.

He said that he had tried to run this hospital in a proper manner but problems were being created for him.

The EDO of health Dr Qalandar Bux Khuhro blamed mismanagement for problems at the hospital and said that his office had provided full supply of drugs to the hospital, but, he believed, some officials were pilfering drugs. Sindh health minister and the secretary were aware of the situation at the hospital, he added.