ISLAMABAD – More than 90 percent of hospitals at the tehsil and taluka level across the country do not have specialised healthcare services to cater to the needs of patients with skin and ENT diseases. The figures were disclosed in a report released by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) on Friday after visits to 46 THQs in 39 districts nationwide during February.
Twenty two THQs were visited in 17 districts of Punjab, 13 in 12 districts of KP, nine in eight districts of Sindh and two in as many districts in Balochistan. Besides specialized dermatology and ENT departments, 93 percent of the monitored THQs lacked cardiology facilities, 89 percent did not have orthopaedic (bone) facilities, 72 percent did not have ophthalmology (eye) facilities and 39 percent did not have surgical facilities.
According to FAFEN Health Scan, scabies was the third most officially reported disease in 24 districts, and Respiratory Tract Infections remained the most commonly reported set of diseases in monitored districts. These deficiencies at tehsil or taluka level also increased the burden of patients on DHQs or already overburdened tertiary care hospitals.
Another disturbing observation was the lack of pathological (diagnostic) facilities in 74 percent of the monitored THQs nationwide, while 63 percent did not have Radiology (diagnosis through imaging) facilites.
