KASUR, June 9: The district headquarters hospital has been facing shortage of X-ray films, glucose bottles and other life-saving medicines for the last two months. Patients have to get their X-rays done from private centres as the machine has broken down.

A survey conducted by this correspondent revealed that the patients had to purchase emergency medicines from private stores at exorbitant rates. A number of patients told Dawn that they had to purchase even anti-Tetanus injections from the market.

The kidney ward had been equipped with the latest machinery since long but not a single person was deputed there by the government. When contacted, the medical superintendent said he had requested the government to arrange medical staff for the kidney ward.

He said the life-saving medicines and X-ray films could not be purchased due to scarcity of funds. The doctors and paramedical staff used to observe tea break for an hour from 11.00am to 12.00pm daily and lunch break at 1.30pm onwards. Meanwhile, the patients had to wait for hours.

KASUR JAIL: As many as 1,443 prisoners are housed in the district jail built to accommodate 444 only. Built in 1929, the jail building is spread over 8.5 acres, while 16 acres are used for agriculture purpose.

There are nine barracks - four for women and two for death convicts. Sixteen cells are for hardened criminals and four are under-construction. There are 32 quarters for jail staff.