Shuttle service for patients falls into disrepair

Vehicles worth Rs1m left parked in an open area suffer extensive damage

RAWALPINDI:

Two electric vehicles introduced at the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC) to transport elderly and critically ill patients from the main gate to the emergency and OPD units have become completely non-functional and now lie abandoned, effectively turning into scrap.

The vehicles, which cost around Rs1 million, were left parked in an open area on hospital grounds and have suffered extensive damage due to neglect.

Parts, including electric batteries and other components, have reportedly been stolen.

There are also allegations that staff removed the functional tires and replaced them with unusable ones. Exposure to sun and rain has caused rusting and peeling paint, rendering the vehicles unusable.

Initially, the vehicles were part of a much-lauded service aimed at improving patient access and reducing congestion in front of the emergency area.

However, within months, the service was first partially suspended and later discontinued altogether due to a lack of funds for repairs.

Hospital mechanics have declared the vehicles beyond repair unless significant funding is made available.

The administration is now considering either repairing the vehicles or officially decommissioning them.

Meanwhile, congestion has once again become a problem at the hospital's emergency and OPD entrances. Parking has been outsourced to a private contractor who has reportedly increased rates, adding to patient inconvenience.

Once seen as a solution for patient ease and hospital traffic, the dilapidated vehicles have now become a financial and administrative burden.