ISLAMABAD – Hundreds of poor patients visiting the government run hospitals in the capital city suffer immensely because of faulty x-rays and test machines and the doctors remain oblivious to their condition. A large number of patients are forced to visit government hospitals daily because of abject poverty as they cannot afford private hospitals or clinics.
During a survey of two major government run hospitals in Islamabad, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Polyclinic conducted by Pakistan Today, every second patient complained about the hospital management’s indifferent attitude. It was also observed that most of the ultrasounds, x-rays, CT scans and mammography machines have been out of order for a long time.
A 35 years old woman, Azhra Begum, who hails from Bhara Kahu, a suburban area of Islamabad, was sitting deeply disappointed on a wooden bench in the gynecology department of PIMS because of a long line of waiting patients and a few doctors to attend to them. “I have been uselessly waiting on this hard bench for hours now. I have a severe backache but I cannot afford a private doctor,” she said.
She said the doctors kept them waiting and indulged in gossip with friends instead of treating them. A 60 years old man, Muhammad Gulfaraz Khan, who was wandering in the corridors of Polyclinic hospital, looking for a doctor with a slip in his hand said, “Look at my age and my misery, I cannot find the right room and nobody’s willing to help me.”
Gulfaraz was having some heart problem and was looking for a heart surgeon. He said, “One doctor referred me to the other and the other doctor to another”. He said that when he got to the room he was looking for he found that the doctor was not on his seat. This is not only the case of two patients suffering at the Islamabad’s main hospitals as almost everyone there had to share much about the callous attitude of doctors.
Few days back, Federal Secretary for Health Nargis Sethi admitted in the meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on Health that the behavior of doctors and administration at PIMS and Polyclinic was pathetic. She said, “PIMS is serving as a ‘slaughter house’ for the patients and doctors work only for two to three hours a day and spend whole day taking tea and gossiping.”
On the directives of Secretary Health Dr Shaukat Hameed Kiyani, executive director, Polyclinic had done away with the tea break in the hospital but that action did not prove fruitful.
