A hospital which serves to save the hand that rocks the cradle should not be there so that the tourists can have a clear view of the Badshahi Mosque. Are we really weighing the health of countless mothers over a scenic view?

Lady Willingdon Hospital established in 1930 is the largest maternity hospital in Pakistan and located in the heart of Lahore, easily accessible to both the city dwellers and the people coming from outside particularly the Northern periphery of Lahore (especially Sheikhupura, Muridke and Gujranwala).

The hospital is very well known amongst the masses and has an excellent repute in the management of complications. Being a public-sector hospital with free facilities, it caters for the poorest of the poor.

A 235-bed hospital, which runs to more than full capacity, can look after a large number of patients as it has a team of qualified and experienced staff with a multi-tiered structure of care.

It also provides an excellent training opportunity to the undergraduate and postgraduate doctors, nurses, midwifes and paramedics.

It is a teaching hospital attached to the King Edward Medical University since its inception.

The hospital has a long list of famous names that have been associated with it over its 80-year history.

Before partition, Col Hayes and his clinical assistants, Dr Heppolette and Dr Sant Ram Dhal, served with a missionary zeal. Col Black was the last British Medical Superintendent and Dr Siddiq the first Pakistani.

After independence, Col Sami and Dr Balqees Fatima laid the foundation of Willingdon’s fame. Dr Ghulam Mohammad Bheek, Prof Shafqat Yusuf and Prof N.A. Seyal made the hospital famous in the 50s, 60s and 70s while Prof Fakhar-un-Nisa did the same in the 80s. A long list of renowned names has served this institution in their careers.

During my 16 years of service in this hospital, what I learnt in experience cannot be compared to any other hospital that I have served. It is considered to be the final institute for referral of complicated gynaecological and obstetric cases from all over Punjab.

The hospital has some impressive statistical figures reflecting heavy workload. In 2013, the OPD saw 82,963 patients; in-door admissions totalled 35,098.

There were 15,516 deliveries conducted and 15,212 major and minor surgeries performed in the hospital’s three labour rooms and two operation theatres. The bed occupancy was above 125 per cent.

The hospital laboratory performed 0.55 million tests while radiology did 38,611 ultra-sonograms.

A comprehensive outreach programme known as the Punjab Safe Motherhood Initiative was started by the Punjab government in collaboration with the King Edward Medical University and Lady Willingdon Hospital in 2004, which ensured EmONC services at the level of DHQ and THQ hospitals of Sheikhupura.

The MICS 2008 report of Unicef and Bureau of Statistics Punjab showed a significant improvement of proxy indicators for MMR in the areas being covered by this project.

Considering all the above advantages which this hospital has to offer, I think it would be very unfair to the women of Lahore and surrounding districts to lose this anchor of hope. Not only that, an institute of learning would be lost.

I hope the chief minister remembers that we are signatory to the Millennium Development Goals which are;

MDG 4: The under-five mortality rate is to be reduced by two thirds

MDG 5A: The maternal mortality ratio to be reduced by three quarters

We have miserably failed to achieve any of them, however, we are ready to destroy an institute which at least is contributing to the maximum to achieve these goals.

The writer is a gynaecologist and general secretary, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.