Shortage of paramedical staff at CHK: Heart patients facing difficulties

The heart patients at the Civil Hospital Karachi are facing difficulties due to the shortage of paramedical staff in the cardiology department. The visiting patients were seen queuing up for hours at the echo department of the hospital, who had come for a medical examination from far-flung areas of the province, a brief visit of the city's largest public sector hospital revealed on Wednesday.
Peoples of lower-middle class visit cardiac centre on daily basis because they could not afford the expense of treatment. The heart patients at CHK are provided with angiography facilities, which cost Rs 5,000 while the private hospitals are charging Rs 20,000 for providing angiography facilities to the patients
An official on the condition of anonymity said that it is a reality that the shortage of paramedical staff is creating problems for the cardiac patients that is also causing delays in the timely treatment. He said that the hospital has an only angiographer who provides medical treatment to 26 patients every day, while a patient needs at least 30 minutes for undergoing the process bringing about delays.
On the other hand, private hospitals are taking high treatment charges from heart patients and most of the hospitals are located at side areas of metropolis due to which patients were forced to visit CHK. Patients demanded of the government to recruit more staff in facility so that they could get early and better treatment. In this regard, when this scribe contacted Professor Dr Khalida Soomro, head of the cardiology department she was unavailable on phone despite several attempts.