A comprehensive modification programme for DHQ hospital has been planned, which would be launched soon to provide latest medical facilities to the people of Baltistan.
This was stated by Medical Superintendent DHQ hospital Skardu, Lieutenant Colonel Sajid Farooq, while speaking at the meet-the-press programme here in Press Club on Tuesday.
He said that Rs 0.04 billion is expected to be spent on this scheme. Under this programme the hospital would be upgraded to diagnose the complicated cases by installing latest equipment and facilitates and a latest children ward would also be constructed.
He further said that the federal minister for Health Naseer Khan during his visit to the hospital has announced to provide a CT scan unit of this hospital.
That would be expected to be functioning within the next two month. Rs 0.02 billion would cost in purchasing of this unit.
After the installation of this unit the people of Baltistan would get the facility of CT scan for the diagnoses of complicated diseases at their door-steps instead to go the other cities.
Sajid Farooq further said that despite having shortage of doctors and paramedical staff the DHQ hospital Skardu in providing better facilitates of medical treatment to the people of Baltistan.
He said the hospital was established in 1973 with strength of 50 beds. The doctors and paramedical staff provided at the beginning was sufficient at that time but with the passage of time the number of patients were increased and at the same time different departments at the hospital were extended, keeping in view the increasing requirements year to year. At present the 50 beds hospital has reached the number of 145 beds.
Similarly, at outdoor patients department 1000 patients are treated daily.
There are 186 paramedical staff and 22 doctors in the hospital which is insufficient. While, more paramedical staff and more doctors are still needed to eliminate the over-burden on the present doctors.
The hospital has the facilitates of laboratory, X-ray, ECG and ultra-sonography. All the patients are treated free of cost and also providing services to the patients 24 hours.
However, the posts of gynaecologists, orthopaedists and skin specialists have not yet provided since the establishment of the hospital. A Gynaecologist had posted here few years ago but she left the hospital since then no gynaecologist was provided to the hospital.