TAXILA: Patients and their attendants burst against doctors, paramedical staff and the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital (THQ) Hazro administration over poor health facilities, paucity of medicines and doctors during the snap visit of member district monitoring committee and former provincial minister Jahangir Khanzada on Tuesday.

Mr Khanzada along with city PML president Malik Ansar Ahmed visited various departments and wards of the hospital, including OPD, emergency, medical ward and medicine counter and inquired from patients and their attendants about the medical facilities. He also inquired from the attendants about treatment, availability of medicines and other facilities.

Mr Khanzada expressed indignation on seeing poor cleanliness and unavailability of medicines at the medicine center. Patients and their attendants burst out against paucity of medicine, facilities as well absences of doctors.

A female patient complained that she was admitted by a duty medical officer and later no single doctor came to see her. Another patient complained that the medical officers after marking their attendance sneaked into their private clinics located adjacent to the hospital and carried out their private practice there during official hours.

He added that in case of surprise visit, the staff informed them and they rushed back by claiming that they had gone for food or tea.

An injured youth at the emergency reported to Mr Khanzada that he was not provided any medicine as well as injection and all his medicines and bandages were purchased from the local market.

During his interaction with the patients and their attendants, he was also informed that the post of surgeon had been vacant for a long and in case of fatal emergencies and road accidents, patients were referred to the District Headquarters Hospital Attock during which most of the critical patients succumbed to injuries.

Moreover, the indoor patients complained about the paucity of medicines in the hospital as they were not issued insulin, so poor patients have to buy medicines on their own.

Later, he visited the OPD and from the record made calls from his cell phone to patients who had visited the hospital and got feedback from them about the facilities and treatment.

He expressed his indignation on the state of affairs in the hospital. Subsequently, Medical Superintendent of the hospital Dr Shoukat issued show-cause notices to five doctors or their poor performance.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2024