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(Health): Two major departments of CHK on verge of closure

Karachi:Two major departments of Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) are on the verge of closure as important diagnostic instruments of these wards are lying out of order since one and half years, sources at CHK told PPI on Thursday.

The important diagnostic machines of Radiology Department like; CT scan and MRI, are not operational since one and half years. The incumbent administration of hospital was unable to get these equipments repaired despite lapse of several months.

Similarly, modern gamma camera device and angiography machine are also not functioning at Cardiology Department, CHK, since several months. The hospital management was unable to get these costly equipments repaired.

The CHK is a Sindh’s largest teaching hospital where a large number of patients is brought every day from different areas of Karachi and interior Sindh, some of them need diagnostic services such as angiography, CT scan, MRI and gamma camera.

The poor patients are being referred to other public and private sector hospitals due to non-availability of diagnostic facilities. The private labs charge heavy fees for conducting diagnostics tests which are out of reach of poor patients.

An administrative official said Sindh government had allocated Rs 25 million for maintenance and repairing of out of order equipment each year but repairing charges of diagnostics machines had been increased with passage of time and increase in dollar value. Therefore, CHK management was unable to get these diagnostic machines repaired. He explained that concerned company demands Rs 6 million for maintenance and repairing of only CT Scan. Acting Medical Superintendent, CHK, Dr Noor Muhammad Somroo, was not available for comments.