Staff crunch keeps operation theatres idle

Two modern operation theatres established at the Urology and Kidney Transplantation Department of Benazir Bhutto General Hospital (BBGH), Rawalpindi, with donations amounting to Rs27.5 million, have remained non-functional for two years due to the non-availability of required staff, leaving patients in distress.

A plan has also been prepared to renovate one of the department's unused wards with the help of donations.

Two operation theatres established with government funding are currently operational in the hospital's Urology and Kidney Transplantation Department.

However, two additional modern operation theatres were completed two years ago after philanthropist Chaudhry Naeem of Savour Foods donated Rs20m, while Pakistani doctors based abroad contributed a further Rs7.5m.

The newly established operation theatres could not be made functional because the required staff has not been provided. The positions needed include two OT anaesthesia assistants, two consultants, two OT technicians, four OT nurses and two members of the janitorial staff.

Meanwhile, patients at the department are currently being given surgery dates with waiting periods of between six and 10 months.

After a gap of two years, Professor Dr Zainul Aamir, a Grade 20 officer, has once again been appointed head of the Urology and Kidney Transplantation Department.