SSGC cuts supply to ASH over non-payment of Rs21.919m

The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) on Saturday suspended gas supply to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) over non-payment of Rs21.919 million.

An official of the ASH told the PPI that a SSGC team had disconnected the gas supply to the healthcare, which runs under the administration of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).

He said the administration had been compelled to postpone dozens of scheduled surgeries, while the emergency, gynaecology, orthopaedic and other departments also remained disturbed.

He said medical instruments and boilers also stopped functioning due to unavailability of gas.

The operations in the emergency and operation theatre department would also remain suspended till restoration of the gas supply, he added.

ASH Medical Superintend (MS) Dr Nadeem Ahmed Rajput told the PPI that the gas supply to the institution had been suspended by the SSGC over default of Rs21,919 million.

He said the administration was using LPG cylinders to carry out surgeries in the emergency department.  He requested the SSGC chief to restore the gas supply to the hospital on humanitarian ground.  He said some SSGC officials had assured that the gas supply would be restored soon.