JPMC: Staff Shortages render 28 ventilators non-functional

KARACHI: Severe staffing shortages have left 28 ventilators non-functional at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), exacerbating an already critical healthcare crisis.
Reliable sources within the hospital disclosed that although ventilators are available across five key departments, the lack of doctors, nurses, and support staff has made it impossible to utilize this lifesaving equipment effectively.
Breakdown of non-functional ventilators
• Medical ICU: 6 out of 10 ventilators non-functional
• Surgical ICU: 8 out of 24 ventilators non-functional
• Clinical ICU: 7 out of 15 ventilators non-functional
• Neurotrauma Ward: 6 ventilators non-functional
• General Ward: Only 1 ventilator is functional
The staffing shortage is particularly acute in the Medical ICU, where only 8 nurses are working despite 58 sanctioned nursing posts. This issue is compounded by a lack of consultants and trained nursing staff, further exacerbating the hospital's inability to provide adequate care.
Sources at JPMC expressed concern that the shortage of staff is crippling the hospital’s ability to serve patients in critical condition, warning that such negligence poses a significant threat to public health.
Efforts to address the staffing crisis have yet to yield results, leaving hospital administrators struggling to manage the situation. The dire state of equipment utilization highlights an urgent need for intervention to restore functionality to these vital medical resources.
This alarming situation at JPMC underscores the need for immediate action from relevant authorities to recruit and deploy adequate medical staff to ensure the hospital can meet patient demands and maintain critical healthcare services.