Shortage of pediatric emergency beds strains public hospitals

Sindh has only around 450 pediatric emergency beds for more than 9.5 million children under five

Government hospitals across Karachi and Sindh are facing a severe shortage of pediatric emergency beds, leaving hundreds of children without timely treatment every day or forcing families to seek costly private care. Hospital administrations often cite the lack of available beds when refusing admissions.

Sindh has just over 450 pediatric emergency beds for around 1.9 million children under one year of age and more than 9.5 million children under five. Despite the growing child population, bed capacity has remained largely unchanged for years, with hospitals prioritising critically ill children and discharging others within 24 hours.

A decade ago, the Sindh Health Department transferred pediatric emergency services to a non-governmental organisation (NGO) under a public-private partnership. The NGO manages emergency departments in six government hospitals in Karachi and four district hospitals across Sindh. Provincial budget documents show it receives Rs2.40 billion annually for these services, although bed capacity has not increased significantly.

READ: Shortage of paediatric facilities plagues hospitals

NGO officials said more than 450 pediatric emergency beds are available across the ten hospitals. However, pediatric specialists warned that declining vaccination coverage and increased use of infant formula have contributed to a rise in childhood illnesses, further burdening already limited facilities.

The shortage is visible across major hospitals. Civil Hospital has 30 pediatric emergency beds for more than 100 daily patients, while the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) has 68 beds but receives over 400 children each day.

Lyari General Hospital has 30 beds, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital 35, Sindh Government Korangi Hospital 40 and Sindh Government North Karachi Hospital 10. Outside Karachi, Hyderabad has 30 beds, Larkana 60, Sukkur 35, Khairpur 35 and Nawabshah 40.

Parents reported difficulties accessing emergency care. Syed Yousuf, a Saddar resident, said his seven-month-old daughter with breathing difficulties was denied entry at NICH because no beds were available. Other parents alleged they were turned away before medical assessment and complained that overcrowding often resulted in multiple children sharing a single bed.

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According to the Expanded Program on Immunisation (EPI), Sindh has 1.9 million children under one year and 9.5 million under five. The shortage of public facilities has also increased pressure on private healthcare.

Pediatric consultation fees now range from Rs2,000 to Rs5,000, while private hospitals reportedly demand advance payments of Rs100,000 to Rs200,000 for ICU admissions. Daily pediatric ICU costs can reach Rs80,000 to Rs100,000, excluding medicines and other supplies.

Professor Dr Wasim Jamalvi, President of the Pakistan Pediatric Association (Sindh), said low vaccination coverage and formula feeding were contributing to increased childhood infections. He also highlighted shortages of pediatric ICU facilities, doctors, trained nurses and support staff, particularly in rural Sindh.

“The province continues to face a high neonatal mortality burden, with around 29 deaths per 1,000 live births,” he further added.

Professor Dr Jamal Raza, head of the Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology (SICHN), said newborn deaths were mainly linked to premature birth, infections and breathing complications.

“Our institute has established 13 hospitals across Sindh, including the Children's Hospital Korangi in Karachi, with a combined capacity of 879 beds for children and newborns.”

The NGO's director of Operations said more than 720,000 children received free emergency treatment at ten government hospitals between July 2025 and June 2026. He added that emergency centres are monitored remotely by specialists who guide doctors handling critical cases to improve response and save lives.