To resolve the issue, the government should pay attention towards the deteriorating condition of public hospitals
KARACHI: Deaths of newborns are being reported from the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Sargodha. This state of affairs depicts the apathy of doctors and the government’s disappointing performance in the health sector. Insufficient medical facilities like lack of oxygen, dearth of incubators and negligence by the staff are being held responsible for raising the infant mortality toll. On top of this, the Punjab chapter of the Pakistan Medical Association has warned the provincial government that it will call a strike in all public hospitals if actions are taken against the medical team of the hospital in Sargodha. Moreover, the hospital management has denied the allegations of mishandling cases of patients.
Overcrowded wards, unclean surroundings and non-functioning equipment are the norms at all government hospitals. Worse still, doctors rarely visit hospitals because they are too busy running their private clinics, teaching in medical institutions or serving private hospitals where they are rewarded with handsome salaries. Thus, to resolve the issue, the government should pay attention towards the deteriorating condition of public hospitals. Furthermore, doctors need to honour their noble profession by saving innocent lives rather than only focusing on making money
Sidra Talha
Published in The Express Tribune, January 7th, 2015.
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