BALOCHISTAN is backward in all sectors if one compares it with other provinces of the country. Quetta is considered the most developed city of the province. In fact, poorly developed infrastructure, deteriorating security situation and population explosion has made Quetta not worthy of being the capital of the province.

Along with other burdens, one more burden on the citizens is exploitation of their basic right of health. Provisions of basic health facilities in public hospitals are almost zero as doctors in Quetta pay more attention to their private clinics rather than their service in public hospitals.

One finds crowded private hospitals round the year because a large number of Afghans from different cities of Afghanistan and rural areas of Balochistan come to avail themselves of Quetta’s health facilities.

Doctor’s prime concern is to earn money. There are some doctors who see 120 to 200 patients from afternoon till late night. It is impossible for them to diagnose and give required time to address patients’ problems while checking such a large number of patients in a single day.

The fee varies from Rs500 to Rs1,000 plus expensive laboratory tests. Today doctors in Quetta are among the richest persons in the city. That is why they are the prime target for ransom by outlaws.

The percentage of medical supply stores in Quetta is far more than other cities of Pakistan. Medical distributing companies consider Quetta a profitable market and to sustain the high demand of drugs, these companies give share-profit in specific drugs to doctors who prescribe these drugs.

Companies also provide other incentives to doctors such as family tour visit to foreign countries, brand new cars and household appliances, etc. To further enhance their income, doctors prescribe drugs which a patient does not need. So patients reluctantly buy those drugs at a high cost. As a result, patients’ health further deteriorates, forcing the poor patients to spend more and move to Karachi for medical treatment. This is the reason Karachi is having more patients from Balochistan, especially from Quetta.

It is time the government and civil societies raised voice against the doctors-pharmaceutical company mafia in Quetta.

M. AAMIR KASIQuetta