GUJRAT: Patients at the Government Maternity Hospital of Fawara Chowk have been facing numerous problems due to a lack of medical equipment, out-of-order machinery, shabby operating theatre and labour room.

As if these are not enough, the hospital building (established 1991) is dilapidated and the entreaties of patients regarding the poor condition of the hospital and alleged indifference of the staff and doctors have fallen on deaf ears.

An official told Dawn that the anesthesia machine at the operating theatre had been out of order and there was no incubator, baby warmer and steriliser in the hospital. The beds were broken and there was no facility of laundry as a result of which the staff wash the bedsheets either in the labour room or in the operating theatre, he said.

This correspondent visited the the hospital which was found lacking in many facilities. The air-conditioners donated by a local businessman have never come into use as, according to sources, they are out of order.

A source said the head lady doctor often remain absent or reach the hospital around 12 noon instead of 9am when the official duty timings start. During a recent visit of District Coordination Officer Liaquat Ali Chattha a few days ago, the head lady doctor was absent and the duty staff could not give any satisfactory response to the DCO.

District Officer Health Dr Abid Ghauri said the authorities were aware of the pathetic condition of the hospital and the district government had been persuaded to provide funds for the procurement of the missing equipment besides getting the building repaired.

He said earlier the anesthesia machine of the rural health centre of Kunjah had been provided to the Gujrat maternity hospital but it too went out of order. Arrangements were being made to provide the machine within next few days as purchase process was under way.

Another source said the district government had directed the authorities to replace the head of the maternity hospital besides improving the performance of the staff.

The DCO said he had received complaints about the maternity hospital’s poor working condition and he had also paid a visit and found these complaints genuine. He said he had approved Rs5 million for the procurement of new machinery and repair of the building.

He said the district government would replace the in-charge of the maternity hospital.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2015

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