KARACHI: Encroa­chments and illegal parking around Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) are not only hampering the movement of ambulances carrying patients but also causing inconvenience to the visitors and the hospital staff.

Sources at ASH said that some private rescue organisations had established ambulance counters outside the health facility. The encroach­ments have caused constant road blockages in rush hours and it has also become difficult for the ambulance drivers to shift injured and other patients to the hospital.

Meanwhile, rickshaws and taxi drivers have also established their permanent stands around the hospital with nexus of traffic police officials. The visitors and medical staff have been facing problems due to constant road blockages and encroa­ch­­ments outside the hospital.

Sources said Sindh minister for local govt and anti-encroa­ch­ment cell of Karachi Metropo­litan Corporation ne­ed to resolve this issue. ASH medical superintendent Dr Nadeem Rajput was not available for comments.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2019