Residents of Digri are facing a severe medical crisis, as a critical shortage of adequate ambulance services is forcing patients in critical condition to be transported in taxis or substandard vehicles, causing severe delays in life-saving medical aid.
Highlighting the severity of the situation, political and social leader Chaudhary Ahsan Gul on Wednesday demanded immediate intervention from the Sindh government. He pointed out that Digri’s geographical importance as a major tehsil of Mirpurkhas district leads to an increased rate of emergency incidents, further amplifying the need for a robust support system.
Despite the presence of a Taluka hospital and several major private medical centers, the city’s emergency transport system is dangerously inadequate. The government hospital has only two old-model ambulances. Among private institutions, only one center has an ambulance, which is reportedly slow and uncomfortable, making it unsuitable for emergencies.
This shortage forces the local population to rely on the provincial Rescue 1122 service, but the absence of a local office means it takes more than an hour for help to arrive. This severe delay leaves patients with no choice but to use substandard transport for urgent transfers to major hospitals in Hyderabad.
Gul has formally demanded the establishment of a dedicated Rescue 1122 office in the city. He stressed that the new center should be equipped with at least two modern ambulances to provide the public with a reliable 24-hour service.