Cantt hospital out of reach for the poor

Despite getting huge public grants, 80 beds are functional in 500-bed facility

RAWALPINDI:

The Cantonment General Hospital, the only government hospital in the Cantonment area which was upgraded with a grant of Rs1.17 billion provided by the federal government, has been given the status of a private hospital.

Due to this, the residents of the cantonment and other areas, who otherwise avail the facilities of emergency, OPD, admission, surgeries and laboratory tests in the three major hospitals of the garrison city free of cost, have to pay thousands of rupees to avail these services in the Cantonment General Hospital.

The Cantonment General Hospital, better known as the Cantonment Dispensary back in 1901, was upgraded to a 20-bed medical facility in 1947 and later on it was further upgraded to a 500-bed building.

At present, only 80 beds are functional at the 500-bed facility which received Rs570 million during the tenure of former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in respect of the procurement of electro-medical equipment and civil works upgradation.

In addition to this, the hospital also receives an annual grant of Rs120 million. Despite the issuance of such hefty grants, the Cantonment General Hospital has been turned into one of the most expensive hospitals in the neighbourhood.

According to sources, the services of cardiology, urology and radiology departments, pathology laboratory, CT scan, X-ray machines, five modular operation theatres, central sterilisation services department, laundry, incubator and central heating and cooling systems were provided in the Cantonment General Hospital with a grant of Rs1.17 billion by the federal government.

The hospital offers free treatment facilities to the officers and employees of the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB), Cantonment Board Chaklala (CBC) and Ministry of Defence.

The residents of the cantonment area are required to pay Rs100 while non-cantonment residents pay Rs200 for registration in OPD and emergency.

The hospital admission fee is Rs200 and in case of admission for 12 hours in the general ward, the Cantt residents pay Rs500, and non-cantt residents Rs600.

For the private ward, the Cantt residents have to pay Rs1,000, non-Cantt residents Rs1,500 and in the evening patients have to pay Rs2,000.

Similarly, the charges to avail services of the intensive care unit are Rs3,000 for cantt residents, Rs4,000 for non-cantt residents and Rs5,000 for those who avail these services in the evening.

Further, in the neonatal ICU, a Cantt resident is charged Rs8,000, a non-Cantt resident Rs9,000 and in the evening Rs12,000 are charged to the patients.

Despite paying heft charges in the hospital, the citizens have to purchase all kinds of medicines from outside.

Sources alleged that the Cantonment General Hospital has been turned into a full-fledged private hospital in the evening.

70% of the fees collected from those undergoing treatment at the hospital go to the doctors and 30% to the RCB.

Evening operation fees in the Cantonment General Hospital are also not less than any private medical facility.

In the hospital, the regular service structure has been abolished and an administrator has been appointed in place of the medical superintendent. Apart from this, a separate additional cantonment executive officer has also been appointed in-charge of the administrative affairs.

When contacted to seek his comments on the matter, RCB spokesperson Muhammad Riyasat said, in the message, that he was busy in a meeting and would not be able to give his position right away.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2023.