Budget cuts: Patients hit hard by slash in subsistence diet

Pims spokesperson Dr Ayesha Eshani said over 1,000 patients due to budget cuts were not getting balanced diet.

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government decision to cut hospitals’ budget has put patients at risk. This decision has forced the hospitals to slash their budgets to meet expenditures.

The Burn Care Centre at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Science (Pims), which used to provide meals three times a day to all patients, has reportedly curtailed its health care subsistence budget.

An official at the Pims requesting anonymity said the hospital used to provide meals to patients according to requirement. However, after a 30 per cent cut in the budget of the largest referral hospital, it was facing difficulties since July in following the diet chart.

Those admitted to the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) department were also feeling the pinch, as they were not getting the required diet.

The official said earlier every patient at the burn care centre used to get a glass of milk in the morning, meat either at lunch or at dinner with fresh fruit daily. He said no milk or fruit is given to patients and vegetables and pulses have replaced the meat.

“Almost 95 per cent patients, at the burn centre cannot afford to buy protein-rich food, they depend on medicines provided by the hospital administration,” said the official.

Pims spokesperson Dr Ayesha Eshani said over 1,000 patients needed high-protein diet, but due to budget cuts, they were not getting balanced diet. Pims tries to provide chicken once a week and milk and other protein-rich diet three days a week, she added.

“We’re trying to get Capital Administration and Development Division to reverse the cuts for the capital’s hospitals.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2013.