Nishtar Hospital lacks medicines, equipment, doctors: PMA president

MULTAN: Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) president Prof Dr Masood Haraj Wednesday said Nishtar Hospital, Multan, was in immediate need of medicines, equipment, doctors and paramedical staff for coronavirus patients.

Addressing a joint press conference at Multan Press Club, Dr Haraj said at Nishtar Hospital even antiviral injections were not available for the treatment of coronavirus patients and medicines for genera patients were also in severe short supply.

He said the most basic components that are used in the treatment of coronavirus patients were not available at Nishtar Hospital. He said Punjab was currently suffering from the third wave of coronavirus and COVID-19 patients were increasing rapidly.

Dr Haraj said more than 200 coronavirus patients were currently being treated in wards No 10 at Nishtar Hospital. He accused the Nishtar Hospital administration, especially acting vice chancellor, of not playing a positive role to combat spread of the virus.

He said the hospital officials were forwarding baseless reports to higher authorities to save their seats. He said coronavirus ICU ward was in dire need of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff for the patients. He said even routine patients were not being tended due to scarcity of doctors and nurses.

He urged the government to release immediate funds and recruit new doctors and nurses and build a new coronavirus hospital. He said the healthcare workers should resume vaccination registration process to protect healthcare workers.

He said the PMA had repeatedly demanded start of undergraduate and postgraduate courses and examinations at Nishtar Medical University but the university administration was not showing any seriousness in this regard.

He alleged that due to certain attitude of the varsity’s administration and the Department of Medical Education, more than 30 PGRs have been disqualified from appearing in the UHS examinations due to untimely workshops.

He said this thing has wasted precious time of students. He accused the Vice Chancellor of the varsity of trying to suppress the issue by backing the responsible persons instead of conducting an inquiry into the matter.

The PMA demanded a permanent vice chancellor on merit. The PMA office-bearers Dr Sheikh Abdul Khaliq, Dr Zulqarnain Haider, Dr Tariq Waqar, Dr. Rana Khawar and others were also present on the occasion.