Administrative disputes plunge JPMC into crisis

Executive director accuses Neurosurgery Dept of delaying surgeries, causing deaths

KARACHI:

A grueling crisis at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) has intensified after a series of administrative disputes and allegations of mismanagement within the hospital's Neurosurgery Department. The situation has sparked a severe medical emergency, raising concerns over patient safety and care.

JPMC Executive Director Professor Dr Shahid Rasool has publicly accused the Neurosurgery Department of delaying surgeries, leading to a sharp increase in the department's mortality rate. According to him, 523 deaths occurred in the Neurosurgery Ward between Jan and June 2024 alone.

Dr Rasool also claims that patients requiring urgent surgeries are forced to wait for months, with some even being denied surgical dates despite critical condition. This delay, he claims, is exacerbating patient suffering and contributing to preventable fatalities.

However, a senior hospital administration official rejected these accusations. In a statement, the official clarified that surgical delays are not arbitrary but rather a result of underlying medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and other comorbidities, which make it unsafe to proceed with operations. According to the official, no surgery is postponed without valid medical reasons.

The crisis at JPMC is further compounded by a long-standing administrative dispute between federal and provincial government employees working at the hospital. JPMC was transferred from federal to provincial control in 2022 under a 25-year agreement, but the governance structure remains contentious. Dr Rasool had been appointed Executive Director on deputation by the Sindh Health Department. However, his tenure was contested by Dr Nazish Butt, head of the Gastroenterology Department and a federal government appointee.