Unavailability of water & gas supply – Patients suffer as JPMC puts off operations

By Our Staff Reporter

KARACHI- Disconnection of gas supply to the city’s major public sector hospital – Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) – by Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) over non-payment of bills led to postponement of over 100 scheduled surgical operations, causing mental agonies to patients.

The unavailability of gas at the hospital also badly affected sterilization process of medical instruments, besides food supply to indoor patients also remained suspended at the cost of patients’ sufferings.

It was second time during last one week that the administration of the tertiary care hospital had to postpone over 120 surgical operations -- 20 on account of suspension of water supply for 48 hours by Karachi Water and Sewerage Board and over 100 operations following disconnection of gas supply by SSGC.

According to sources, JPMC’s gas supply was disconnected because of non-payment of gas charges bills amounting to Rs30 million as the Sindh health department failed to clear the outstanding bills of the gas utility.

JMPC deputy director (Admin) Dr Jawaid Jamali confirmed that the hospital’s gas supply was disconnected due to non-payment of dues.

However, JPMC’s gas supply was restored following Sindh Secretary Finance Sohail Rajput assured the SSGC management that the matter concerning gas charges bills will be settled in a week.