Critical patients struggle to reach hospitals

The movement of vehicles at a snail’s pace outside Lady Reading Hospital, the largest medical facility in the province, has turned into a major crisis. Ambulances, often racing to save time and lives, are caught in the choked traffic, jeopardizing patients in need of urgent medical care.

Private parking stands near the hospital's main emergency entrance, which in most well-organized systems would be reserved solely for ambulances, remain a primary source of blockage. This prevents some 3,000 critically ill patients daily from receiving timely access to healthcare services. The situation extends beyond Lady Reading Hospital.

Private parking spots have also been established in front of Mission Hospital, complicating access for patients arriving from far-flung areas on public transport to seek medical consultations, surgeries, and laboratory tests. According to Noman Khan, a pharmacy owner with two decades of experience outside Mission Hospital Peshawar, an estimated 5,000 patients and caregivers visit the Dabgari Garden area daily, which hosts over 100 clinics. However, severe traffic congestion and parking issues cause several hurdles for patients and their relatives.

But much of this issue could have been addressed. According to details gathered by The Express Tribune, despite significant government expenditure, a parking stand in the Dabgari Garden area, near Mission Hospital, remains non-operational, even though its construction, part of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, is complete.

In addition to the privately operated parking spots near hospitals, demonstrations on Peshawar’s GT Road also lead to the closure of routes to the Lady Reading Hospital emergency entrance, further complicating access for patients who require treatment at the emergency ward.

Muhammad Imran, a resident of Supply Gate Peshawar, shared a harrowing experience where his brother survived a near-fatal heart attack. The ambulance carrying his brother was stuck in long queues of vehicles on GT Road. “The doctor at Lady Reading Hospital said that if we had been five minutes later, my brother might not have survived,” Imran recalled. Expressing frustration, he noted that globally, hospitals have dedicated emergency routes and alternative access points. However, Peshawar's infrastructure fails to provide such essential services.

Encroachments around the Dabgari Garden area, according to Musarat Bibi, a resident of Munda Beri, are another issue. “It has made it impossible for patients and their caregivers to even walk. If the government could arrange dedicated parking around these areas, it would significantly reduce patients' suffering,” she added.

“Reaching Peshawar from the highway is straightforward, but accessing the clinic in Dabgari Garden is nearly impossible due to narrow roads that choke easily. We had to transport my mother to the clinic in a wheelchair with great difficulty,” said Haseeb Khan, who recently brought his mother from Lower Dir for kidney treatment, describing the ordeal.

When asked about the situation, Peshawar's SSP Traffic, Saud Khan, acknowledged the challenges. “We have removed the illegal parking stand outside Lady Reading Hospital, but we face constant issues as people obtain injunctions from the court.” However, Khan assured that the emergency route for patients will remain open at all costs. “Teams have been deployed outside the hospital. Combating encroachments and controlling traffic are major challenges in the city.”