The small number of ventilators, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) scan machines and other necessary equipments required for conducting different tests in public sector hospitals compel poor patients to conduct their tests at expensive private laboratories, revealed an anecdotal survey conducted by Business Recorder.
A visit to major government-run hospitals including Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), federal services hospital commonly known as Polyclinic and CDA hospital revealed that patients were not only forced to wait for hours at Out Patient Departments (OPDs), but also compelled to conduct their necessary tests at private laboratories due to a small number of MRI, CT scan, X-ray machines, ventilators, Electroencephalography (EGG) and ultrasound machines in these hospitals.
Currently, there is an acute shortage of public hospitals and shortages within existing ones are the reason for the inability of the country's public and private health units to meet the needs of in-city patients as well as those from outside the city. A senior doctor on the condition of anonymity told that there are only 65 ventilators in PIMS hospital that's why doctors refer patients requiring ventilators to private hospitals. He said that government needs to provide more ventilators as they can not admit patients in Intensive Car Unit (ICU) without the availability of ventilators.
"We have requested the hospital management to repair ventilators or buy new ones on several occasions. Many patients lost their lives in the hospital due to unavailability of ventilators in the recent past but no one is willing to resolve problems," a doctor told to the correspondent.
Another senior doctor told that there is only 1 MRI and 2 CT scan machines in PIMS that's why patients have no choice but to avail the facility from private laboratories at a very high cost. The MRI tests are usually required prior to deciding on surgeries. The doctor said there is only one angiography equipment in PIMS that means we have to send heart patients to get their tests done in private hospitals or laboratories.
The top management of public sector hospitals admitted to Business Recorder that they deal with more patients than the capacity. "We cannot deny (admission) to any patient, but it is also a fact that we do not have enough beds to accommodate all who need to be admitted," said an official adding that sometime they have 2 patients on a single bed.
The correspondent repeatedly tried to contact Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, but he did not respond till the filing of this report. He is however on record as having stated that access of the people of Islamabad to basic health facilities would be ensured and 3 hospitals would be constructed in the capital during the remaining tenure of the government.
According to the 'Ranking Web of World Hospitals', only 4 government-run hospitals are among the top 20 in the country, while the best public sector hospital in Pakistan, 'PIMS' ranks 5,911 in the world. Cidp International Foundation has been declared the best hospital in the country and it ranks 1,842 in the world ranking, followed by Jinnah Memorial Hospital at 2400, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation at 2836, Shifa International Hospital at 3760 and Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre at 4064.
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