Chakwal awaits major hospital

The establishment of a major hospital equipped with modern medical facilities remains a pressing public demand in Chakwal district, which has a population of approximately two million.

A shortage of basic healthcare facilities, limited hospital beds, a lack of specialist doctors and the need to travel to Rawalpindi and other cities for the treatment of complicated illnesses have created serious difficulties for urban and rural residents alike.

The question remains: when will the people of Chakwal have access to quality healthcare in their own district?

Chakwal has a distinctive identity because of its history, tourism, culture and traditions, but healthcare challenges continue to await government attention.

Complaints about inadequate medical facilities in relation to the district's large population have been growing.

Residents say increasing pressure on government hospitals limits the availability of treatment, while the lack of modern medical equipment, specialist doctors and other essential facilities further compounds their difficulties.

Three interchanges of the Islamabad-Lahore Motorway fall within Chakwal district. Consequently, people injured in traffic accidents between the Salt Range and Neela Interchange are taken to the District Headquarters Hospital in Chakwal.

The hospital, with only 200 beds, is considered inadequate for the growing population and such emergencies.

Public demands are growing for a modern, fully equipped hospital with at least 600 beds. Residents say existing healthcare facilities are insufficient to meet the needs of a district with a population of around two million.

They believe a major hospital would not only enable patients to receive treatment locally but also help reduce the burden on hospitals in other cities.

Residents say patients suffering from heart, kidney and liver diseases, cancer and other complicated illnesses often have to be shifted to Rawalpindi or Islamabad for better treatment.

This exposes them to travel difficulties, additional expenses and delays in treatment.

The situation is particularly distressing for poor families travelling from remote villages.

People living in Chakwal city and surrounding rural areas already face financial difficulties because of their limited resources. When a patient has to be transferred to a hospital in a larger city, ambulance charges, travel costs, medicines and other expenses place an additional burden on the family.

Public representatives and residents say a modern district hospital should have emergency services, intensive care units, operation theatres, advanced diagnostic equipment, laboratories, maternal and child healthcare facilities, and specialist doctors in various fields.

Such facilities would reduce the need for patients to travel to other cities for treatment.