MULTAN: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a procedure that uses an endoscope and X-rays to examine and treat the bile ducts, gallbladder, liver and pancreas.
The ERCP is used to diagnose and treat gallstones, pancreatitis and tumours. It can also help determine the need for surgery. This key system has been dysfunctional in the gastroenterology ward at Nishtar Hospital for over a month. While the facility is primarily used by patients, they are left stranded for weeks due to the unavailability of ERCP. Private treatment for these conditions is very costly, patients reported.
Hospital insiders alleged that last October, doctors demanded money from patients in the name of ‘charity donations’. The doctors stopped providing facilities to patients in retaliation for violating Punjab government rules. Patients’ chart history of Nishtar Hospital Gastroenterology ward says that large sums of money were collected from ERCP patients in the name of donations.
In November last, a citizen brought his patient to the gastroenterology ward for a test. The doctors handed him a list of equipment, which included the stent used in the test, while the sphincterotomy, wire, and other supplies were provided by the hospital. Still, contrary to the rules, the doctors demand charity donations from the patient’s family. The citizen lodged his complaint with the Secretary Health who appointed a Medical Superintendent to conduct the inquiry and returned the money paid by the citizen after the completion of the inquiry.
The inquiry also recommended stern action against the incumbent of the Gastroenterology Department. Later, Nishtar Medical University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mehnaz Khakwani constituted an inquiry committee in light of the MS office inquiry. The findings of the inquiry are still awaited. However, the findings of the inquiry completed on January 1 are still awaited. The rubber bands used in the process of band ligation have also started to be avoided by putting them on the patients. The hospital is bound to issue bands to patients but doctors allegedly do not provide bands to patients and ask them to purchase themselves, patients complained.
Senior doctors say that ERCP is a procedure to remove stones from gall bladder and liver ducts through a camera, in addition, jaundice due to obstruction of liver ducts is also treated by putting a stent. Similarly, endoscopy in which the liver vessels are ruptured through a camera causing vomiting of blood and its application stops the bleeding as this is a life-saving procedure, but this procedure is also stopped only because these bands are often not available at the government level and when patients bring these bands of modest cost from outside but the ward doctors stop to accept.
The doctors ask for a prescription from the MS or bring it through local purchase, on which the patient keeps going around from the MS office to the gastro department and is forced to undergo endoscopy again.
When repeatedly contacted by Nishtar Medical University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mehnaz Khakwani her phone remained unattended.The vice chancellor was contacted via WhatsApp but declined to answer questions, directing inquiries to Dr Zahid, the Medical Superintendent (MS) of Nishtar Hospital.
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