A tale of two hospitals

The level and efficiency of services offered by Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) and Islamabad’s Shifa Hospital are markedly different. While some margin for poor performance may be given to LRH due to an overflow of patients in contrast to Shifa Hospital, the difference in services is tremendous. Cleanliness at LRH is nonexistent and staying in patients wards is impossible. The restrooms are a permanent ‘no-go’ area because of filth. A single bed is assigned to two patients. Operation staff is usually found missing. A group of three wards is manned by a single junior doctor. Junior nurses can be seen working haphazardly most of the time, not knowing what a patient is up to. Attendance machines do not work. They can be part of a bigger solution coupled with human management. The hospital management should enforce cleanliness and the presence of staff.
Here one must appreciate the immaculate cleanliness inside Shifa Hospital. Patients are treated with care, dignity and respect. Its staff is very professional and seems to be truly concerned about a patient’s wellbeing. The provision of free medical care for poor patients (as practiced in Shifa Hospital) and charging wealthy patients is a sustainable way to run hospitals. This can successfully be implemented in all government-run hospitals.
Naveed Ahmad
Charsadda