MY traumatic journey started when I had an accident while going to university and was admitted to the emergency ward of a government hospital. It was the worst experience of my life. There was only one bed for five patients and two doctors for around 10 patients at the hospital.

I saw patients dying in front of me due to sheer mismanagement and the shortage of instruments and healthcare equipment. Luckily, I survived that day, but I don’t want my worst enemy to go through the same trauma I faced due to the lack of facilities and resources at the hospital.

I urge the authorities concerned to improve the condition of government hospitals and at least ensure necessary equipment and tools are available 24/7.

Besides, the government should build more hospitals to provide free and quality treatment to people because private hospitals are beyond the reach of many.

Sheeza Afzal
Lahore

KEYBOARD WARRIORS: The youth is considered a boon to the nation, but this notion is gradually losing its charm. Many of them are directly involved in the ‘war’ on social media. The trend to harm and spoil the privacy of opponents has become common. Research has shown that people who use social media as a source of information are less informed about social affairs and are more likely to believe in fabricated news. Our keyboard warriors need to do better with their lives.

Habiba Zakir
Mardan

DUBIOUS MOVE: When Agha Siraj Durrani became the acting governor of Sindh, he was under house arrest. His elevation is beyond comprehension. According to a court ruling, a convicted person cannot be inducted as a sepoy in the armed forces. How on earth can a convicted person make his way to the Governor House?

Sheikh Taimur Nawaz
Islamabad

CAT-AND-MOUSE GAME: This refers to the news ‘Govt to place members of last cabinet on no-fly list’ (April 21). The ongoing cat-and-mouse game between the present and previous governments must end. Those in power should stop blaming their predecessors, and focus on controlling inflation. The government must make all efforts to reduce its expenses, ban all luxury items, and arrange all meetings virtually to save exorbitant travelling expense.

Khayyam Durrani
Karachi

DIVIDED NATION: The ongoing political turmoil has divided the nation. I have observed that people have become more prone to losing their temper and slandering each other during political discussions these days. Conversations don’t bridge gaps anymore. Our brains are wired to only accept the things that we think are right, irrespective of the others’ opinions. I believe that intolerance is now deeply entrenched in society. The media should focus on this issue and awareness sessions by trained practitioners should be held to end this menace before it becomes a threat to the whole nation.

Sumera Sajid
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2022