Lack of burn units

It is heartrending that people in Pakistan are deprived of basic health facilities. Sunday (Jun 25) met with a gruesome incident when an overturned oil tanker in Bahawalpur was exploded, leading to the death of over 150 people and several injured. Victims were rushed to the nearby hospital. However, the absence of a burn unit in Bahawalpur’s Victoria Hospital further exacerbated the situation. This dismal picture of the country’s health department calls for the immediate attention of the Punjab government. The provincial government must establish burn units in all 36 districts of Punjab.

Fire incidents in the country are, unfortunately, quite common. Therefore, the necessity of burn units cannot be ignored. The chief minister of Punjab must allocate funds for the establishment of burn units across the province. Also, this unfortunate incident also highlights that the health department in the country lacks lifesaving facilities. There is another requirement to devise a standard operating procedure for Rescue 1122 and the National Highways &Motorway Police. The authorities should be directed to immediately cordon off the area to minimise loss. The fire department should be fully equipped so that the help can reach at the site as soon as possible. It is hoped that the authorities will adopt the above mentioned suggestions to avert such untoward incident in the future.

Engr Riaz Akbar

Wah Cantt