ISLAMABAD:
A large number of cancer patients admitted to the Nuclear Medicine, Oncology and Radiotherapy Institute (NORI) have been suffering due to the air conditioning being turned off for 17 hours a day.
A notice was placed at the nursing stations stating that ACs in wards will only be switched on for seven hours a day. Patients said air conditioners are switched on from 12pm to 3pm and then 8pm to 12am. “It is terribly difficult to stay in the ward without cooling in this scorching heat,” said one patient.
Most admitted patients are from far-flung areas and cannot go back home. However, some local patients have left in the hope that the issue will be resolved soon and they can return to the hospital to continue their treatment.
A lung cancer patient, admitted in a private room, was taken back to his home by his family when his condition began to worsen due to the heat. “It’s awful to see cancer patients struggling to survive in the heat,” said one of his attendants.
No one from the hospital administration was immediately available for a comment.
Published In The Express Tribune, June 24th, 2012.
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