Staff's poll duties to hit working of prominent hospitals in Karachi

With over 1,500 medical staff put on poll duty, the working of 12 major hospitals, including that of a prominent cardiac hospital, here is going to be affected on July 25 when Pakistan goes to polls, according to a media report.

This is for the first time that the medical staff of hospitals, considered essential service, has been deputed to do poll duties by the Election Commission of Pakistan in general election as presiding officer and assistant presiding officers, the Dawn News reported.

The Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases (KIHD), one of the major facilities for heart patients in the city, will not be able to run its Coronary Care Unit and male and female wards on July 25 due to severe staff shortage.

As many as 500 doctors, 300 nurses, which constitute 99 per cent of its nursing staff, and majority of its paramedical staff have been put on election duties and the department is left with only six staff nurses, the report said.

The hospital would run only emergency services in morning and evening shifts due to shortage of staff, it said.

Besides KIHD, over 1,500 medical staff of over 11 other hospitals in the city have been deputed to do election duties causing hardship to patients, it said.

The hospitals include Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Sarfraz Rafiqui Shaheed Hospital, Sobhraj Maternity Hospital, Spencer Eye Hospital, Landhi Cardiac Centre, Shah Faisal Cardiac Centre and Gazdarabad Maternity and General Hospital (GMGH).