Rush of patients is affecting quality of care at the Lady Willingdon Hospital (LWH), one of the city’s leading hospitals for the provision of gynecology and obstetrical facilities and dearth of space and staff especially doctors is further worsening the situation.
The number of patients in the hospital have increased manifold since the last two decades as there is no such hospital at district level and people are forced to come to Lady Willingdon Hospital for better care of mother and child.
One such woman, belonging to Sharqpur (Sheikhupra), gave birth to a child at the stairs of hospital a few days back.
According to sources in the hospital, over 100 would-be mothers are waiting for beds in LWH while 70 of them are in serious condition. The hospital’s managements is forced to give admission to every mother for treatment having card of the hospital even coming from far-flung areas of Punjab.
According to the sources, the LWH is a combined maternity and gynecological hospital with independent units serving from the last eight decades.
A survey of hospital revealed that since last two decades, there has been a marked increase in the number of patients due to provision of free medicines and diagnostic facilities, addition of necessary medical and surgical instruments, free diet and facilities.
It was found that all the units, corridors, radiology department, ODP rooms, labour rooms, neonatology ward and surroundings gave a pleasant look, but the smell in rooms of hospital exposes inside cleanliness of the hospital.
It is pertinent to mention here that hospital’s emergency operation theatre is in the dilapidated condition. Noise and dust welcome patients since boundary wall of the hospital is not proper.
LWH Additional Medical Superintendent Dr Zia Ullah Cheema said the hospital is operating around 25-30 women on daily basis including emergencies, and it is bound to attend emergency patients especially referred by other hospitals.
Replying to a question about birth of a child at stairs of the hospital, he said the hospital is also providing services to other emergency patients who do not have card of the hospital for the treatment and operation.
Cheema claimed that there is no deficiency in operating the would-be mothers. However, women were seen standing in a queue and waiting for their operation.
On this situation, Cheema categorically said that the hospital is facing acute shortage of doctors.
He said doctors are not ready to join LWH as repeated requests have been sent to the quarter concerned for the new doctors.
Replying to another question, Cheema said it is the responsibility of higher authorities and the government to look into the affairs of the hospital. He said despite the increased number of patients, currently LWH is coping with the overburden and is trying hard for the best treatment to mother and child.
Talking about complaints of mothers, the AMS said infection problem after the operation has been major issue for the doctors and the hospital. He also claimed that no haste is made in stitching the mothers.
