A pregnant woman lies in a hospital bed. Source: Reuters
HYDERABAD:
Acute shortage of medicines, diagnostic facilities and functional medical equipment has left government hospitals in Hyderabad struggling to provide even basic medical care, largely due to alleged apathy and poor supervision by Sindh Health Department officials.
Essential medicines have reportedly virtually disappeared from Hyderabad Civil Hospital as well as all taluka hospitals in the city. Even routine laboratory tests cannot be carried out at taluka level facilities due to absence or breakdown of basic machinery. As a result, patients are forced to seek treatment at private hospitals and laboratories, where they are charged thousands of rupees even for preliminary checkups, adding to their financial hardships.
The situation has worsened to the point that the trauma center built on Hala Naka Road remains non-functional, while large government hospital buildings appear deserted at night. This has put an increasing burden on the Hyderabad Civil Hospital, the only major government healthcare facility for the city and interior Sindh, where patients arrive in large numbers from across the region daily. However, the Civil Hospital itself is plagued by non-functioning machinery and inadequate treatment facilities.
Hospital sources say prolonged political interference and alleged appointments to senior administrative positions based on influence rather than merit have resulted in chronic mismanagement. This has previously led to unrest among attendees and, more alarmingly, complaints related to the transfer and alleged sale of newborn babies.
Currently, Hyderabad Civil Hospital has only one MRI machine and one CT scan machine operational, while other diagnostic machines have been out of service for months. Patients are recommended to wait one to two months for MRIs. Only first aid is provided in the emergency room, after which critical patients are referred to Karachi. The burn ward faces a similar situation as it lacks modern treatment facilities despite having a designated ward.
Sources further revealed that even in the Intensive Care Unit, immediate testing facilities are not available, forcing patients to get tested privately. Hundreds of patients visit hospital OPDs daily, but due to non-availability of government-provided medicines, doctors often prescribe medicines purchased from outside.
Conditions in Hyderabad taluka hospitals are reportedly even worse. Facilities like Bhittai Latifabad Government Hospital, Qasimabad Government Hospital, Kohsar Latifabad Hospital, Pretabad Government Hospital and Hali Road Government Hospital, along with several basic health units, lack not only testing facilities but even essential medicines. Patients with serious illnesses are routinely referred to the Civil Hospital without proper examination, while OPD patients are advised to visit private medical shops and laboratories.
