Treating patients in a residential apartment

RAWALPINDI: A small residential flat in Rawalpindi, housing six doctors, currently substitutes for the TB Hospital.  Over the past five years, the number of patients has gone up by 40 per cent, with 30-40 patients visiting the facility daily, according to a doctor at the hospital.

Dr Mahrukh Siddiqi, medical officer at the hospital, told The Express Tribune that staff members at the hospital were not enough to meet the growing number of patients to the hospital.

Work on the TB Hospital along with a women and children hospital started back in 2005 but was stopped in 2008 after a change in regime. The new government refused to release funds required to complete the hospital.

“Every year around 10,000 to 12,000 patients come to the centre for treatment but this amount cannot be accommodated at this place,” Dr Siddiqi said.

The doctor, who is also the acting medical superintendent of the hospital, said they had temporarily arranged for the centre to be shifted to a new building where they will be able to provide improved services to patients. She said two new toilets and a waiting room had been arranged for patients.

Ziaullah Shah, a PML-N member of the Provincial Assembly, told The Express Tribune that the matter was brought into the Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif’s notice who had directed for the early execution of the project. He said the project was directed to the Pakistan Works Department.

Noor Muhammad, a patient, said that an X-ray from a private laboratory costs Rs150 which he could not afford given his budget which is why he comes to this hospital.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 26^th, 2010.