Lyari General Hospital - Inflicted by Myriad Problems

KARACHI-  The major department of Sindh Government Lyari General Hospital (LGH) Karachi, including Adult & Pediatric Emergency, Gynecology, Institute of Cardiology, OT complex and Laboratory services are partially non-functional, whereas the management is unable to make them operational under performed departments due to unknown reasons.

The 525 bed hospital was established in the 1970s as a major public health facility, the Lyari General Hospital was later turned into a tertiary-care hospital and made part of the Dow University of Health Sciences. However, owing to numerous problems, its performance has remained far from satisfactory.

Approximately 4,000 to 5,000 people visits OPDs of health facility on daily basis but, majority of hospital departments, like adult & pediatric emergency, gynecology, Intensive Care Unit, Institute of Cardiology, OT complex and laboratory services remain non-functional from 01:00 pm till next morning.

Majority of emergency cases from Gynecology and Cardiology departments are referred to Dr. Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK), Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), National Institute of Child Health, National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases and other private hospitals of the city during evening hours and night shifts.

The Thalassaemia Centre of Health Facility is also not operational, although costly equipment is available.  The daily admission in the 525-beded Lyari General Hospital is only 50 to 60 patients. People coming with  major surgery requirements are referred to other hospitals.

The performance of lab is also not satisfactory as CBC, urine culture test, T3, T4, TSH tests are being performed in health facility, while CT Scan diagnostic facility is only available for admitted patients.

The Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Institute of Cardiology at Lyari General Hospital (LGH) Karachi could not be made fully operational despite the passage of several years. The patients with cardio related emergencies are referred to National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) due to shortage of cardiologists, nurses and paramedical staff.

Some costly diagnostic equipment are lying idle or out of order in Sindh Government’s Lyari General Hospital (LGH) while the management is unable to get them repaired due to unavailability of funds.

The diagnostic equipment including echocardiography machine, bio-chemistry selectra machine and cell separator machine are lying idle or out of order in the hospital. The ECG machines, ventilators, incubators purchased few years ago are still lying idle and unused in the hospital.

Medical Superintendent, Lyari General Hospital, Karachi, Dr. Muhammad Aslam Pechucho, was not available for comments regarding the condition of the hospital and its services.