VIP movement: Attendants overcrowd hospitals

PESHAWAR:

Although hospitals in Peshawar catered to the injured, their administrations failed to deal with the influx of attendants who accompanied their loved ones.

“We are always in a state of emergency but what can you do when dozens of people accompany one patient,” said an LRH official outside the emergency ward.



Besides locals, MPAs also visited the hospital which added to the problems of those carrying in their injured relatives. The area was soon taken over by volunteers asking attendants to give space to rescuers.

“We don’t need them, they should not come since it always creates problems for us,” one of the doctors said, adding although the health minister and some parliamentarians came alone, K-P Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar was accompanied by an official convoy which caused immense problems.



People also complained of having trouble in reaching hospitals as roads were blocked by traffic wardens at several place on GT Road. Following complaints, Additional Deputy Commissioner Irshad Ali Sodhar and Additional Assistant Commissioner Kamal Khan issued directives to give space to ambulances carrying injured persons.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27^th, 2015.