TAXILA: Punjab chief minister’s much publicised health reforms programme seems like a distant dream for the residents of Taxila and Wah Cantonment.

Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital Taxila has proved that the only provincial government-run health facility in the twin cities is incapable of dealing with the large influx of patients, especially road accident victims. The patients have been deprived of basic medicines, even syringes and bandages, due to paucity of funds.

The 40-bed THQ hospital, which caters to the residents of Taxila and Wah Cantonment along with the neighbouring town of Khanpur, sees a large influx of about 154,000 patients per year.

Patients at THQ hospital have to bring their own medicines for treatment, while surgeries are conducted in candle light

However, the hospital only has a meagre Rs0.8 million sanctioned budget for medicines.

Keeping in view the number of patients, the budget expires during the first three months.

For the rest of the year, the poor patients, even those coming in for emergency cases, have to bring their own medicines, syringes and bandages for treatment.

Due to the absence of lifesaving drugs, patients, especially road accident victims, either die here or on their way to hospitals in Rawalpindi.

Sources say that there are 87 lifesaving drugs that the Punjab government announced it would provide to patients in emergencies, but only a few of these are available at the trauma centre.

The hospital also has limited funds for generator fuel, resultantly, during the loadshedding hours, small operations and labour deliveries are conducted under candle or torch light.

A number of patients told Dawn that 90 per cent of them bring their own medicines from the open market, as they are even denied basic medicines at the hospital.

A patient, Perveen, said: “We are poor people and cannot afford the costly treatment at private hospitals, but we have failed to get any relief here at the government hospital, despite the tall claims of the provincial government, which, using electronic and print media, made announcements of provision of better healthcare facilities to the people.”

Sources say that THQ hospitals in Kahuta and Gujar Khan, which see lesser number of patients per year, get funds worth Rs3.8 million and Rs4 million for medicines, respectively, while THQ Hospital Taxila gets merely Rs0.8 million, despite catering to a large number of patients.

When contacted, THQ Hospital Taxila Medical Superintendent Dr Mohammad Shahid confirmed that the hospital has limited funds of Rs0.8 million, which is insufficient to deal with the high number of patients. Therefore indoor and outdoor patients are asked to bring their own medicines from the local market.

He added that around 700 patients visit the Out-Patient Department (OPD) of the hospital daily.

The social and public circles have appealed to Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to take note of the deplorable condition of the THQ hospital, which is in dire need of basic facilities, for the poor patients of his own constituency.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2014