Provision of inferior quality of food stuff being prepared in the kitchen of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) is further contributing in the miseries of admitted patients in facility despite allocation of adequate funds for the food items for the patients of hospital, sources said.
"It's incredible that hospital is failing to serve healthy meals," said patient admitted in orthopaedic ward of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC). He said preparation of unhygienic and substandard food is doing no good to the patients' health and the cut in fruits supply after two days only has compounded their problems.
The primary problem in hospital is that no one pays attention to make sure that patients eat the food prepared for them, as many sick and elderly people either have suppressed appetites or have physical problems that interfere with their eating. Yet no one is designated in hospital to assist patients who have trouble eating. Food is often prepared hot and then left until an orderly gets around to taking it to patients, at which point it is often cold and unappetising. Food may be placed out of some patients' reach, and other patients miss their meals because they have tests or other procedures during a facility's only designated meal times.
Sources said that despite earmarking a sum of Rs 56,000 per day for the food items for patients here, they are being provided sub-standard edibles. They said that the ration purchased for the patients is of low quality, moreover, doctors and other influential paramedical staff often insisted the kitchen in charge to prepare food for them with earmark budget of patient's meal.
Sources said patients of different wards have complained that only 2 slices, one egg and a small serving of tea is provided for breakfast here, while at lunch time serving of vegetable with merely 3-4 chapatis (breads) and that too not up to the mark are given and a similar situation prevails at dinner time as well. Patients in different wards who were provided fish, twice a week, for their meals were stopped some four months back due to the non-availability of funds, they added.
There are 28 different wards in which more than 1,500 patients are admitted. Staffs of more than 100 are deputed in the kitchen to do the needful. Official sources said that in this regard that the amount earmarked for edibles is not enough. They informed that everyday some 1,200 patients are being provided good quality food, however, if anyone caught neglecting duty in this regard or stealing food items from the kitchen he will be taken to task.