Trauma centre eludes city despite best efforts
Karachi:Within an hour of the Friday morning’s bomb blasts on Sharae Faisal, the cityÂ’s main hospitals reported that there were not enough beds and facilities to cope with the rising number of injured being brought in. Also, the speed with which patients were being handled left much to be desired.
The lack of a proper trauma centre where patients could be received and speedily administered medical aid once again become painfully evident. While Abbasi Shaheed Hospital does have a trauma centre, it is not able to cope with the flood of victims when a serious incident occurs in the city.
Equally frustrating is the lack of a proper fleet of ambulances, with patients having to rely on private carriers and even the back of mobile vans used by the Rangers and the local police.
A proper trauma centre was first mooted in 1986 following the hijacking of a Pan-Am airliner at Karachi Airport. Hundreds of passengers were rushed to city hospitals then and they were painfully unable to cope, with the result that some passengers were houses in corridors of hospitals.
However, the plan never got off the ground. Some 10 years ago, concerted efforts were taken and construction work over five acres land started for the same purpose but due to some unknown reasons, the land was sold to private persons for setting up yet another “modern” private hospital.
Dr. Rasheed Jooma, Executive Director, JPMC, said there was an acute need for a major trauma centre. He said at present five major hospitals received “serious trauma victims”. He said it was good that the CDGK had set up a trauma centre at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital but there was need for such centre at other hospitals too.
Dr. Kaleem Butt, Medical Superintendent, Civil Hospital, added that now that the frequency of emergencies and big incidents have increased in the city, “there is need of more than one trauma centre in order to manage more efficiently.”
Dr. Aslam Pervez of the CDGK said an important element of upgradation of Abbasi Shaheed Hospital in 2006 was the setting up trauma centre where 200 injured could be accommodated simultaneously. Besides, around 20 ventilators were also available there. He said such centres should also be set up on Super Highway, National Highway and other points of the city to meet eventualities.
Another doctor, Tipu Sultan, said that there should be big unit at each hospital in the city where 100-150 patients could be kept simultaneously. He said the yesterday’s incident showed that the hospitalsÂ’ ability to cope with such eventualities had limits.
He pointed out that the Sindh government had reserved around five acres land near Ojha Sanitorium some 10 years ago where a four-storeyed building was to be constructed. But some four years ago, the government sold it for Rs100 million to a private party, though its value was more than Rs400 million.
Dr. Seemin Jamali, in-charge of the emergency and accident ward at the JPMC, commented that a trauma centre could not be set up in isolation. It needed back-up support and specially three departments like orthopedic, anesthetical and surgical were needed.
Dr. Tipu Sultan said at present facility of blood for around 40-50 patients could be treated at any time but this needed to be further strengthened. Dr. Seemin Jamali said people donated 150 bottles of blood on Friday night at JPMC, even though 250 bottles were already available there.
Dr. Aslam Pervez said the CDGK was constructing ‘central blood bank’, which would be hopefully completed in 2008. It could provide facility of blood up to 3,000 people at one time, he hoped.
Meanwhile, a senior health official said that a trauma centre was proposed at Civil Hospital Karachi, which was supposed to be completed two years ago but it did not happen due to perceived trivial issues like shifting of two wards to the Government services hospital. It is these tricial issues and greed that have led to unecessary deaths of innocent people, say observers.
Source: The News
Date:10/20/2007
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