WHILE most hospitals across Balochistan lack basic facilities, those situated in Kech and other rural areas are the worst. There is sparse infrastructure standing in the name of hospital without much in the name of staff. The doctors are negligent towards patients and spend most of their time running personal clinics. They come late to the hospitals, and do not examine the patients thoroughly. They prescribe to poor patients dozens of unnecessary medicines that they cannot afford. The emergency department has shortage of doctors due to which many critical patients suffer.

There is always a dearth of essential medicines at the pharmacy, while the nursing staff is not trained professionally enough to take care of the patients. The state of hygiene and sanitation in the hospitals is deplorable.

The Punjab chief minister recently announced a new hospital for Turbat. The fact is that the citizens of Turbat do not need another hospital; they want better healthcare at the existing hospitals.

Abdul Qudoos Baloch
Turbat

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2020