KARACHI:Sindh government and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has failed to provide personal protective equipments (PPEs) to doctors, nurses, paramedics and others working staff to fight the coronavirus pandemic in KMC health facilities .
The medical staff at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Sobhraj Maternity Hospital, Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases, Leprosy Hospital Manghopir, Spencer Eye Hospital, Landhi Medical Complex, Gazdarabad General Hospital and others were performing duties without safety gloves, masks, apron, sanitizers and other safety kits.
Although some rescue organizations, including Al-Khidmat and others, have provided safety kits to doctors and other staff working in Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) and other hospital, but majority of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff have been deprived of PPEs since start of coronavirus emergency in these health facilities.
Sources at ASH told PPI that doctors and supporting staff working in KMC hospitals were performing their duties under deep stress and pressure because their lives were at risk and in the present situation, they were examining the patients at the cost of their life and even their families were also at risk.
They said doctors, nurses and paramedics had also been reluctant to continue their job in the hospitals in such circumstances. They said provision of personal protection equipment was the responsibility of Sindh government and KMC.
Sources said a lady doctors had already tested positive for the coronavirus in Abbasi Shaheed Hospital few days ago. The panic has gripped doctors and other staff working in KMC hospitals.
Senior Director Medical and Health Service Department Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Dr Salma Kauser, while talking to PPI, said Personal protective equipments (PPEs) as per requirement had been sent by the hospitals administration.
She informed that safety kits were being provided to doctors and supporting staff performing screening of suspected Coronavirus patients. She further informed that Mayor Karachi, Commissioner and some rescue organizations had provided PPEs for doctors and other staff.