Free dialysis a thing of the past
Friday, March 13, 2009
By Amer Malik
LAHORE
WITH the departure of former Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif, the hopes of kidney patients of free dialysis services in government hospitals in the province have dashed.
On the occasion of World Kidney Day on Thursday, the plight of poor kidney patients in Punjab was aggravated due to discontinuation of free dialysis services in Mayo Hospital, Services Hospital, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore General Hospital, Jinnah Hospital and other public sector hospitals like DHQ and THQ hospitals in all districts of the province. The previous Punjab government, led by former Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif, had given a kiss of life to poor kidney patients by offering free dialysis services in all government hospitals in the province. Mian Shahbaz Sharif had airlifted 60 dialysis machines to Pakistan after paying heavy airfreight charges with a view to providing free dialysis services in all public sector hospitals in all districts of Punjab and save lives of the poor kidney patients.
The kidney patients required two to three dialysis interventions each month costing Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500 each dialysis, which is simply out of their meagre resources.
The doctors and patients in teaching hospitals in Lahore informed that the free dialysis services had almost been restricted for poor kidney patients since the exit of PML-N government in Punjab, as only the patients, who could exercise their influence, were availing dialysis services free of cost in the hospitals. “The poor kidney patients are being refused dialysis treatment on the pretext of long dates up to two to three months,” said a kidney patient in Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. The other patients also claimed that free medicines were also not provided to them in the hospitals. Besides, the patients and officials claimed that Social Welfare Department had also been unable to help the patients due to funds drought after abolishing of Zakat committees.
Meanwhile, according to a handout here on Thursday, Punjab Health Department has sought a report from the government hospitals regarding free dialysis facility within 24 hours. The Health Department spokesman said that the government has taken solid steps for the free prevision of dialysis facility to the kidney patients and appropriate funds had also been provided for this purpose. The spokesman further said that the report has been sought from the hospitals to solve administrative problem, if any.
Free dialysis a thing of the past
The government really needs to do something permanent about Public Health sector. It should not be dependant on the coming governments for favorable decisions, or whatnot. Public sectors, while subject to revision of policies, should be left alone when it comes to them giving public free services or services at reduced cost.
Hopefully the govt. will soon look into this and restore the privilege for the poor public. There should be more sources allotted to all Public Health facitilies nationwide, so people from every walk of life can take the benefit of such services.
