Gomal Medical College is undergoing changes to improve its medical services through a well-established emergency centre. - File Photo

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: A well-equipped emergency centre is being set up in the district headquarters hospital to provide better medical care to the victims of bomb blasts and major road accidents.

“More heath facilities are now being set up here including a well-equipped emergency unit for victims of bomb blasts and road accidents, especially occurred on Indus Highway,” Gomal Medical College Principal Prof Mohammad Saleem Gandapur told Dawn here on Monday.

He said that tenders had been floated for the project, to be executed at a cost of around Rs150 million over a five-canal piece of land on the premises of district headquarters hospital.

Mr Gandapur said that besides serving as hospital to give first aid to critically injured persons, the 20-bed emergency unit would be provided with diagnostic gadgets of international standard and other facilities like ambulances and communication system to give prompt response to emergency situation.

“Things are getting better and major portion of funds in our accounts is now being spent on purchasing medical equipment such as CT scan, MRI, laparoscopic and orthopedic machines. These would be available by the end of current financial year,” he added.

After hectic efforts of the local administration and generous cooperation of the provincial government, a machine for conducting polymerase chain reaction tests had now been made available in Mufti Mehmood Hospital for detecting hepatitis-C virus in the patients, he added.

Mr Gandapur said those tests were conducted free of cost and so far around 50 patients had been benefited from the facility. “In the past, patients would have to travel to Peshawar or Multan for these tests,” he added.

Similarly, he said, with financial assistance of the German government a blood bank was being constructed in the district.

To a question, Mr Gandapur said that shortage of staff in district headquarters hospitals was one of the main factors impeding delivery of proper services to people.

At present, the principal of the medical college said, there were a total of 40 posts of medical officers while only 24 of those were filled, necessitating solid measures to fill the remaining positions.

He said that poor salary structure and low remunerations had been hurdles in hiring services of professors for Gomal Medical College.

He said that professors were offered more attractive packages in other medical colleges of the country. There was a difference of about Rs100,000 to Rs150,0000 between the salaries of professors in Bannu Medical College and those of Gomal Medical College.

However, notwithstanding those challenges, the principal said, Gomal Medical College was producing competent doctors to serve humanity.