Polyclinic short-changed in budget allocation

The hospital has only been given 60% of its estimated requirement; patients may suffer.

ISLAMABAD:

The capital’s second largest government hospital can expect a tough year ahead as the government has provided only 60 per cent of its budget requirement.

While Polyclinic Hospital estimated its costs for the upcoming fiscal year at Rs2.1 billion, the federal government has allocated only Rs1.25 billion for 2012-13, according to official documents available with The Express Tribune. The low allocation will also affect future medical procurement, as the hospital authority still has to pay outstanding bills totalling Rs165 million from the previous year.

Among the allocations in the new budget, Rs402.5 million is to be spent on purchasing drugs and medicines, while no money has been allocated for the much-delayed hospital expansion project. The hospital administration requires Rs55 million to pay to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for acquiring one-third of the adjoining Argentina Park’s land for the purpose. Due to non-payment, the project is being held up.

The budget also has no allocation for new equipment, despite the fact that only one of the hospital’s four X-ray machines is in working condition. Sources said the hospital urgently requires eight new X-ray machines and some ventilators, as presently there are only six available. The blood bank also needs new equipment to improve testing facilities.

No budget has been allocated for new ambulances either. At present, there are 14 ambulances available, but 20 are required, said an official.

Meanwhile, Rs9 million was requested to cover fuel charges for transport, but barely half that — Rs4.6 million — has been allocated, he added.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Polyclinic Spokesperson Dr Sharif Astori said with the increase in the number of patients, hospital’s requirements are also increasing. The allocated budget is not sufficient to fulfil the requirements but the hospital administration will make all efforts to try and get by within the allocated budget.

Astori was disappointed at the absence of an allocation for the purchase of land, as expansion of the hospital is needed to address difficulties arising out of the increasing patient load.

Every day, 6,000-plus patients visit the outpatient departments of the hospital, which has 545 beds for patients who must be admitted. Similarly, insufficient budget for the procurement of the drugs and medicine will create trouble at the end of the year. Late in the last fiscal year, financial constraints left the hospital administration unable to pay for purchasing medicines. In order to continue the supply of the medicines, the hospital administration had to buy on credit from suppliers, said another official.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2012.