Severe ICU bed shortage grips hospitals
As Muhammad Owais rushed through the corridors of Khyber Teaching Hospital in a desperate search for an intensive care unit (ICU) bed for his critically ill mother, every passing minute diminished her chances of survival.
Hospital staff told him that no ICU beds were available and that he had no option but to wait. Undeterred, Owais went from one department to another, hoping to find a solution. But by the time he returned to her bedside, his mother had succumbed to her illness.
"For years, the government has claimed that hospitals are equipped with all the necessary facilities. Where are those facilities today? Who will answer for my mother's death?" lambasted Owais.
Owais' loss highlights a wider healthcare crisis in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, where a population of more than 40 million is served by only around 400 ICU beds in public hospitals - fewer than one ICU bed for every 100,000 people.
According to official figures, major hospitals across the province have limited ICU capacity. Hayatabad Medical Complex has 49 ICU beds, Khyber Teaching Hospital 45, while Lady Reading Hospital - the province's largest tertiary-care facility and a key referral centre for major emergencies and bomb blast victims - has only 34 ICU beds. Ayub Teaching Hospital in Abbottabad has 32 ICU beds, Mardan Medical Complex 16, and Qazi Hussain Ahmad Medical Complex in Nowshera just six.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, pulmonologist Dr Ehtesham Khan described the situation as alarming.
"This is an extremely serious issue. Four hundred ICU beds are far from sufficient for a province with a population exceeding 40 million. Based on existing healthcare demands and international standards, K-P should have at least 1,000 ICU beds," opined Dr Khan.
"When ICU beds are unavailable, many critically ill patients - including trauma victims, cardiac patients, children and others suffering from life-threatening conditions - lose their lives because they cannot receive the intensive care they urgently need," he said. He noted that while critical care medicine is rapidly advancing worldwide, Pakistan continues to face a shortage of trained specialists.
"Many intensivists prefer to work abroad because of better incentives and working conditions. Establishing an ICU is not just about increasing the number of beds; it also requires trained personnel and specialised resources, both of which are in short supply," he added.
Dr Khan also urged the government to expand the Sehat Card programme to cover ICU treatment at private hospitals.
"In private hospitals, ICU charges often exceed Rs50,000 per day, making critical care unaffordable for poor patients," he emphasised.
Dr Saleem Yousafzai, spokesperson for the Provincial Doctors Association, noted that the shortage extends beyond intensive care facilities.
"Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa currently has 11 teaching hospitals and 32 non-teaching government hospitals, yet there is a lack of facilities not only in intensive care but also in radiology, pathology and several other departments," he told The Express Tribune.
He recommended that every teaching hospital in the province should have at least 50 ICU beds, while district headquarters hospitals should maintain a minimum of 20 ICU beds.
Responding to concerns, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Health Secretary Shahidullah Khan assured that improving healthcare services remained the government's top priority.
"The health department and the government are fully aware of the shortage of ICU beds in public hospitals," he said. He added that the provincial government plans to increase the health budget in the upcoming fiscal year and intends to double the number of ICU beds across public-sector hospitals. "We are committed to ensuring better healthcare facilities for the people of the province," the health secretary said.