MULTAN, Oct 9: Patients in Nishtar Hospital’s pediatric and general surgery wards are resorting to private hospitals because of the shortage of nitrous gas which is widely used for anaesthesia.

It is further learnt that spinal injections are being used in the backbone for operations in the emergency ward.

The absence of nitrous gas is proving a `blessing’ for doctors practicing in private hospitals as well. While the patients with little means are waiting helplessly.

Doctor Abdul Rashid said the companies producing nitrous gas had stopped its production and hospitals in the entire province were facing the shortage.

He said the hospital had received few cylinders of nitrous gas while the gas supply situation would hopefully improve in the coming few days.

The Pakarab Fertilizer company in its press release issued on Wednesday last clarified that the company was not enlisted as supplier of the nitrous gas.