Man survives mortuary ordeal
The biggest tertiary care hospital in Hazara lacks a mortuary. PHOTO: AFP
A distressing incident at the Haripur Trauma Center has drawn widespread attention after an elderly patient was allegedly confined to the mortuary instead of receiving proper care within the hospital premises.
The incident surfaced following a video that went viral on social media, prompting immediate action from hospital authorities.
According to the sources, the elderly patient, brought to the trauma center due to injuries, was not provided with a hospital bed. Instead, he was seen lying outside the hospital gate and later within the mortuary, a situation captured in the viral video. The footage revealed the patient’s distressed state, resorting to kissing the hands of individuals passing by the mortuary.
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Renowned social worker and former Nazim of Jamaat-e-Islami, Imran Alizai, condemned the incident, questioning whether the trauma center was serving as a place of healing or a form of private torture cell for vulnerable patients. He highlighted the patient’s plight, emphasising the lack of basic amenities such as a blanket despite the elderly man’s injuries and mental health challenges.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 7th, 2023.