TOBA TEK SINGH, Aug 10: The federal government has inducted Toba Tek Singh district in its national hepatitis control programme. DHQ Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Sikandar Khan Mujahid told reporters here on Friday that all necessary equipment had been supplied to the hospital under the said programme.

He, however, said the diagnosis of hepatitis patients would not be possible because the hospital had no pathologist and physician.

Dr Mujahid said the posts of a chief consultant, a consultant, a radiologist, an orthopaedic surgeon and a pharmacist were also lying vacant. He said patients were forced to travel to other cities for diagnosis of the disease.

Only eight doctors were serving at the hospital as against the capacity of 20, he said.

The MS proposed that doctors doing house jobs at the Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad, should be sent here until the vacant posts were filled.

He said the provincial government had already approved Rs150 million for the extension of hospital’s burn unit, the trauma centre and wards.