The provincial capital has a population of 10 million but most of the healthcare centers of the city district government are in poor condition and only 25 percent of the health units are equipped with the proper medical facilities, Pakistan Today has learnt.
City district government runs healthcare establishments including BHQ, THQ, RHC, homeopathic clinics, hakims (herbalists), maternity centers and fitness clinics. Many of these establishments lack adequate healthcare facilities.
It appears that district healthcare units have been made only to lessen the burden of patients from major hospitals. Due to the lack of funds, the condition of the buildings is not satisfactory and many of the establishments appear to be awaiting a mishap. Availability of doctors also stands as a major issue in these establishments. For the last many years, recruitments at these healthcare units have not been done.
The new 20-bed hospital at Shadara was inaugurated without ensuring the availability of adequate staff. The hospital still lacks doctors.
An official from the health department said that unlike other government hospitals, these little establishments being run by the district government lack not only specialized doctors but are also short of trained staff and adequate laboratory apparatus. He added that the testing equipment available at most dispensaries was not reliable and most x-ray and ultrasound machines were out of order. Several dispensaries did not even have doctors and technicians were working in their place.
Saqeena, a resident of Shahdara, said, “Not even a single medical equipment can be found in CDGL health care units and we have to go all the way to Lahore for basic checkups.”
According to Health EDO Dr Inaam-ul-Haq, “We are not being able to justify the working of healthcare units because we do not have funds. The recruitment summery for doctors and staff has been sent two times to the provincial government but was rejected on the plea that the government did not have funds.”