Pakistan Institute of Medical Science (PIMS), the largest public hospital of the federal capital, is in a pathetic condition because of the unhygienic environment, lack of basic facilities such as beds, latest medical equipments and an inadequate amount of staff.
Patients complained that several critically ill people were not getting the care that they needed because of a massive shortage of medical equipments, beds and doctors, which undermined the quality of healthcare in the hospital.
Amir Akbar, a 70-year-old heart patient from Sargodha, said that the hospital’s laboratory had no proper equipment and was unable to carry out reliable tests. “We are compelled to go to private laboratories in the Blue Area,” he added.
A huge number of people from far flung rural areas of Punjab could also be seen at every section of the hospital, particularly outside the X-ray and ultrasound rooms where only two out of four X-ray machines were operational in the evening due to lack of staff. Therefore, patients and their attendants had to wait for hours to get their test report.
A shortage of staff such as nursing assistants, cleaners and porters meant that nurses often had to carry, wash and feed patients, which kept them from nursing responsibilities.
Meanwhile, all the wards and departments of the largest public hospital in Islamabad gave a dirty look due to irregular cleanliness, while Out-Patient Department (OPD), Orthopedic and Neurology departments, Gyne Ward, Emergency Centre and the laboratory needed urgent attention of the higher authorities.
