THQ hospitals short of staff, medicines

MULTAN: Tehsil headquarters (THQs) hospitals of the district, particularly Shujabad Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, are facing acute shortage of basic medicines and staff.

This was said by Pakistan Medical Association district president Prof Dr Masoodur Rauf Haraj while addressing a press conference after visiting the Shujabad THQ Hospital and different rural health centres here on Thursday.

He said that antibiotics, TT injections, insulin, anti-hypertensive and cardiac medicines were not available in the THQ hospital. Moreover, digital X-rays, ultrasound and ECG machines were not functional when a PMA team visited THQ hospitals and rural health centers, he further claimed.

The PMA president said that anti-rabies vaccine was not available in the THQ hospitals and RHCs. No general surgeon, no radiologist, no pathologist and no eye surgeon were available there, he added. Only one orthopedic surgeon was available round-the-clock on call, he added.

He urged the government to look into the matter and resolve the issues of the THQ hospital and RHCs, otherwise the PMA would launch a protest drive. He said that the available medical staff at the Shujabad THQ Hospital had been facing public wrath over the shortage of medicines and staff. He said that a team of the PMA office-bearers and executive members visited the hospital after receiving complaints of violence on doctors. The PMA demanded the government take measures to prevent harassment of doctors and ensure provision of medicines and recruit doctors against vacant posts. The PMA also demanded the government set up police counters at the THQ hospitals where medico-legal certificates were issued. The PMA president said that the government should arrange special training for doctors responsible for issuance of MLCs.