Sindh Govt Liaquat hospital - unavailability of senior cardiologist hinders cardiac centre’s working

MN Report

Karachi: Sindh government Liaquabad hospital’s Cardiac Emergency Centre has almost become inoperative since last seven months in the wake of shortage of cardiologists, technicians and skilled staff nurses, it was reliably learnt.  

Sources said that as no senior cardiologist is available at the health facility, a number of patients requiring emergency treatment were being referred to National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases (KIHD) and other hospitals. “Over 100 patients visit the hospital’s Cardiology OPD daily but between 10 and 15 of them are referred to NICVD, KIHD or other hospitals,” they added.

An official of the hospital’s Cardiac Emergency Centre, who wished not to be quoted, said that management of the health facility had suspended admission of patients at the Cardiac Emergency Centre following retirement and transfer of cardiologists about seven months back. “Although the centre is equipped with all necessary diagnostics machines, lack of skilled manpower and unavailability of senior cardiologists had rendered it ineffective,” he deplored.

Moreover, no major surgeries were being performed due to shortage of surgeons at the hospital, the sources said, adding that patients requiring major surgeries were also being referred to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Civil Hospital Karachi and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.

They also regretted that although a number of posts of cardiologists, surgeons and specialist doctors are lying vacant in the hospital, the authorities concerned have, so far, taken no remedial measures.
Medical Superintendent of the health facility, Dr Ansar Ahmed Ansari, confirmed that Cardiac Emergency Center has not been functioning properly due to shortage of cardiologists and skilled staff.