Bird market blocks road to hospital

The recurring Sunday bird market and the resulting illegal parking in front of the Sindh Government Hospital Liaquatabad have raised concerns about patient safety. This situation calls for urgent attention as it jeopardises the lives of patients seeking medical care.

Despite being a holiday, the Sindh Government Hospital Liaquatabad's general emergency, trauma wards, and cardiac emergency unit operate round the clock. However, the massive traffic congestion extending from Karimabad to Liaquatabad poses a significant challenge for patients and their caregivers to reach the hospital. In cases where every moment counts for patients teetering between life and death, such delays can prove perilous.

The negligence of the bird market vendors and the apparent indifference of the local law enforcement, coupled with confrontations between hospital staff and individuals visiting the market, have become an unfortunate routine.

On a weekly basis, the bird market springs up in front of the Sindh Government Hospital Liaquatabad, attracting hundreds of potential buyers and sellers of various bird breeds. The market garners a large crowd from morning until evening, leading to a substantial afternoon traffic congestion along the Karimabad-Liaquatabad route. Negotiating this stretch requires additional time and patience.

Regrettably, this congestion significantly hampers the accessibility of patients, their families, and the hospital staff to the Sindh Government Hospital Liaquatabad. The overwhelming presence of the crowd at the hospital's main entrance forces patients to endure further delays when trying to access the emergency and cardiac departments.

Hospital management has highlighted the dangerous consequences of such traffic jams, particularly for critically ill patients. Helpless patients and their loved ones find themselves trapped in the gridlock, desperately trying to reach the hospital premises. Even attempts by hospital guards to engage with bird market participants about critical patient situations have led to threats and confrontations. Sadly, such altercations have become commonplace.

Numerous appeals and requests have been submitted to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and other relevant authorities to relocate the bird market away from this sensitive area. However, these pleas have gone unanswered, exacerbating the issue.

Patients and their families initially assumed that the hospital operated with reduced services on Sundays. The realization that the hospital operates at full capacity on Sundays underscores the urgency of addressing this matter. It is imperative for higher authorities to intervene and find a solution, as the current situation could escalate into a dire incident. The bird market's presence continues to burden both the hospital staff and patients.

Notably, the Sharifabad police station is in close proximity to the affected area, but no effective actions have been taken. The potential consequences of a patient's death due to traffic congestion demand accountability. Markets of this nature should be situated far from healthcare facilities and hospitals. It is a sincere appeal to the authorities to designate an alternate location for the bird market, thereby ensuring the safety and well-being of both hospital staff and patients.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21^st, 2023.