Hospital patients face transport problems
The outpatient department and emergency ward of the Gujranwala Civil Hospital have been closed for the past seven months, forcing patients to travel to other health facilities at least 15 kilometres away for treatment.
The hospital's departments, including orthopedic, dental, skin, heart, surgery, TB, pediatrics, eye, ENT, neurosurgery, physiotherapy, gynecology and operation theatres had been shifted to the Medical College Hospital at Godlanwala because of renovation work.
However, the renovation work at the Civil Hospital has not been completed and its departments remain closed.
Due to lack of public transport facilities, rickshaw drivers charge exorbitant fares to take the patients to the Medical College Hospital. The hospital administration had promised to lacunh a shuttle servie for them, but it has not been implemented.
Previously, Rs360 million had been spent on the hospital's emergency department and the then caretaker chief minister had said that that the construction would not be affected during the renovation work.
The hospital administration had promised to complete the renovation by February, but it has not been completed yet.
The hospital used to receive about 6,000 patients in the OPD and 4,000 in the emergency ward daily before the renovation work started.
According to a doctor, the staff members also face difficulties because of the lack of transport facility to reach the alternative hospital.
A local resident said the previous deputy commissioner of the district had also promised to launch a shuttle service to solve the transport problem, but in vain.
A resident, Rana Akram said many patients had turned to private hospitals because of the situation.
Meanwhile, Punjab Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique visited the hospital along with Medical Superintendent Dr Arshadullah Goraya and expressed satisfaction over the progress of the renovation work.
Gujranwala Medical College Principal Dr Iqbal Dogar told The Express Tribune that the work is ongoing day and night.
He said the patients had been shifted to the other 500-bed hospital to save them from inconvenience.
“The building is complete, so we vacated it to speed up the work. We don't want any mishaps like one that happened in Gujrat, where a roof collapsed during construction, causing damage and loss of life,” he explained.
He said the purpose of the suspension of the emergency and other services was to complete the work in the department at the earliest.
The principal said the cardiology and radiology departments had been shifted and were functioning with complete arrangements for the patients and doctors.
He said the outpatient department is not completely closed, doctors are present there, ten work in a ward would also be completed soon.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 3rd, 2024.