Public healthcare suffers neglect

With the advancement of medical science, diagnostic machines and treatment equipment have become crucial for patients on their road to recovery however, for many low-income patients across Sindh, the unavailability of functional medical machinery and a dearth of trained technicians to operate it, has laid to rest their treatment prospects.

Despite the provincial government allocating a large budget for the public healthcare system, neglect on part of the supervising administration has resulted in the on-ground condition of hospitals to remain abysmal, with the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), kidney treatment, robotic surgery, incubator and Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT) scan facilities in utter disrepair, due either to a faulty element in the machinery or the unavailability of a trained technician for operating it safely, forcing many patients to seek costly alternatives at private clinics.

Dilshad Ahmed, a patient seeking a CAT scan had to approach a private clinic after he was denied treatment at the Sindh Government Liaquatabad Hospital, due to their faulty CAT scan machine. “The private clinic cost me Rs8,000 for a simple scan,” complained Ahmed.

Ahmed’s complaints were confirmed by an on-ground assessment of the Express Tribune, which revealed that several medical machinery, including a CAT scan machine, laparoscopy machine, two orthopedic machines, two incubators for premature babies and four dialysis machines including a lithotripsy machine worth Rs200 million for non-invasive kidney stone removal, were out of order at the Liaquatabad Hospital.

“The lithotripsy machine was installed 10 years ago, but it has so far been of no use since a urologist is required for handling the radiation of the machine and we do not have any specialized technician available to operate it,” revealed Dr Atiq Qureshi, medical superintendent at the Liaquatabad Hospital, who further informed that dozens of patients required urgent nephrology treatment at the hospital and the Health Department of Sindh had been requested to open postings for urologists in the hospital.

The Liaquatabad Hospital however, cannot be singled out as the only facility turning away patients, since sources disclose that as many as 11 CAT scan machines, 3 MRI machines, 2 ventilators, and a robotic machine alongside a number of X-ray machines, echocardiogram (ECG) machines, ultrasound machines and blood pressure monitors, were dysfunctional across different public hospitals in the province including the Sindh Government Korangi Hospital, the Sindh Government Qatar Hospital, the Sindh Government Ibrahim Hydari Hospital, the Sindh Government New Karachi Hospital, Landhi Medical Complex and the Abbassi Shaheed Hospital.

Moreover, the unwillingness of the administrations of these hospitals to hire biomedical engineers and technicians for the billion-rupee machinery had further led to the deterioration of the equipment and its parts, which did not receive the required level of maintenance.

Sources further claim that many public hospitals have been allegedly ordering second-hand machinery, which is then painted and polished to mimic a brand new machine, in the hopes of earning huge commissions.

It has also been reported that the Rural Health Center, which is overseen by the Kemari District Health Office, had placed an order for a 250 KW generator at an anticipated cost of Rs60 million, almost 15 years ago. However, till date, the generator could not be installed in the hospital, and was recently transferred by a crane to an undisclosed location.

“The generator was transferred to the municipal warehouse on the suspicion of theft,” justified Dr Tayyab Imrani, the District Health Officer.

Speaking to the Express Tribune on the matter, Dr Saad Niaz, the spokesman of the Provincial Health Minister said,” “We have sought details of the valuable machinery in all hospitals. We are trying to ensure the availability of medicines and diagnostic facilities to all patients across hospitals. A comprehensive plan is underway in this regard.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 30^th, 2023.