LAHORE: Sewage accumulated outside the emergency ward of the Jinnah Hospital has become a permanent threat and source of diseases for patients coming from far flung areas, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Nearly 2,500 patients on average visit the emergency ward of the hospital everyday. Arriving at the emergency entrance of the hospital, they are welcomed by a gutter stink and malaria threat as an overflowing gutter marks its space near the entrance gate of the hospital.
The gutter spill is situated in a park beside the in-house police check post which is just beyond the security barrier installed at the hospital. The spill in the park spreads more than 20 yards with mosquitoes and other insects floating on the surface of the contaminated water. The stink arising from the sewerage water could be detected from even outside the hospital premises.
Many patients arriving from around the city and also the rural areas are seen sitting around the gutter spill as there is no other seating space for the visitors out side the main building. A patient from Pattoki, Ali Shah, while sitting with his family beside the gutter spill said, “It’s not that dangerous sitting here, at first it might sting your nose but then one gets used to it.”
Zain Butt a studentstudying at Allama Iqbal Medical College said that it’s been quite a while that this gutter has been over flowing and people don’t seem to care now. Dr Ayesha, a doctor visiting Jinnah Hospital with her father said, “This is a hospital, at least places like these should be looked after in such matters…hospitals are meant to cure diseases not spread them,” she added.
Patients, staff members, students, police officials and attendants coming along with patients have been going through this disgusted misery for over a month now. When asked from staff members of Jinnah Hospital they said that complaints have been registered several time but no action has been taken in this regard.
Talking to Pakistan Today Jinnah Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Muhammad Hassan said a new sewerage line is being installed for the hospital and hence the spill. To a question, he said this issue would be taken care of as soon as possible, but restrained from giving any specific time line.
