Bitgram: Doctors and medical staff of the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital Bitgram on Wednesday staged a protest against the prolonged power load-shedding that brought health services to a standstill at the health center.
The protesters, led by doctors from DHQ Hospital, gathered at KKH and blocked traffic for several hours, causing severe hardship to patients and their families due to the unexpected work stoppage.
Addressing the protest, Dr. Rahim Khan said that he was trying his best to convince the concerned authorities on the issue but to no avail. How can we provide medical care in these situations? Our protest will continue until the authorities do not accept our demands.
Important surgeries are delayed, diagnostic machines are lying idle, and the health and safety of patients is at risk due to non-availability of electricity, he added. “However, our repeated requests to the authorities to resolve these issues have been ignored,” he added.
Dr. Rahim justified blocking the Karakoram Highway so that his voice would be heard. “We know it hurts the public, but we are left with no other option,” he added. The doctor urged the public to understand their plight and support their cause.
Hospital staff said their demands were not limited to reliable electricity but aimed at ensuring proper functioning of medical equipment and better patient care. Mubeen Madkhyal, a relative of the patient who went to DHQ Hospital from Torghar, expressed his disappointment.
“We had come all the way from Torghar to the DHQ hoping for treatment, but the protests have left us stranded. My relative’s condition is deteriorating, and we don’t know where else to go. This situation is for us. It’s very difficult,” he added. Hussain Shirazi, a local resident, said: “Power shortage has become a constant problem in Bitgram. It is unacceptable that a hospital whose purpose is to save lives cannot function properly because of this problem. The government must address the energy crisis, especially in critical facilities like hospitals.