Patients suffer

LAHORE

The entry points leading to Mayo Hospital, Lahore, were blocked with heavy containers due to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) rally on Saturday, which caused tremendous difficulties for the doctors, patients and other visitors to reach the hospital.

The Punjab and Lahore district government blocked The Mall with heavy containers, which blocked patients’ access to the hospital. Several ambulances were also denied entry to the hospital, which endangered the lives of critical patients. Reportedly, a child had lost his life on the way to hospital as ambulance could not find its way to the hospital.

It is learnt that more than 5,000 patients and visitors reached the hospital daily, but the number of patients reaching the hospital had considerably dropped due to closure of roads leading to Mayo Hospital. Similarly, female patients and pregnant women also faced difficulties in reaching the Lady Wellington Hospital, Lady Aitchison Hospital, whereas the patients coming from North Lahore also couldn’t reach Sir Ganga Ram Hospital due to closure of Mall Road on both sides.

The doctors of Mayo Hospital, however, created a map, showing the only entry and exit point from Nisbet Road, and circulated through facebook and WhatsApp to facilitate the doctors, nurses, other staff and patients to reach the hospital.

Mian Munshi Hospital and Nawaz Sharif Hospital, Yakki Gate, Data Darbar Hospital also became inaccessible for the patients due to shutdown of PTI rally’s route from Shahdara to Chairing Cross, The Mall. Ambulances, however, were able to transport their patients to other public sector hospitals including Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and Services Hospital.