Commercial clinics

The Capital Development Authority’s drive against private clinics in residential complexes has put paramedics and the CDA on a collision course. All commercial plazas in the federal capital have stairways to climb up the ground floor. This would create difficulties for elderly and critically sick patients. In addition, the time factor involved in taking a patient to clinics in commercial areas, water availability (an essential requirement), noise pollution, fire safety standards, etc, would make it very difficult for doctors to treat patients at an affordable rate. Of course it is the poor who would suffer the most.

The best course for the CDA is to allow up to four-room clinics in residential areas with the condition that not more than three doctors will work at one place; that they will not give appointments to more than two patients in one hour; that they will ensure limited car parking outside to four vehicles and dispose of refuse to sites specially designated for the purpose through a common service. Corner houses should be approved for large clinics. Or else doctors be assigned plots in the class III category and in Blue Area shopping areas at Rs5,000 per square yard as against the Rs100,000 per square yards charged now. Moreover, electricity tariff should also be kept low.

Dr M I Shaikh

Islamabad