PESHAWAR: The people brought to Peshawar for burn treatment have to hold their pain for longer as hospitals in the city lack the relevant facilities. Given the urgent need, a separate burns centre was constructed near Hayatabad Medical Complex, but it stands vacant due to unavailability of funds from the Centre.
“If the federal government is not disbursing the required funds then the KP government should provide the amount as the centre would serve people of the province,” a plastic surgeon, Dr Qazi Amjad, said while talking to the Media.
At least 8,000 patients with burn injuries are brought to Peshawar every year from different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the adjoining tribal areas. But they have to be referred to Islamabad as burns centre in Peshawar hospitals stand sans required facilities.
Although construction of the centre was completed in 2014 at a cost of Rs1.5 billion, the 60-bed facility has not yet been equipped neither has staff been deployed as funds have not been provided.
The rattling centre is a hope for the people of KP and Federally Administered Tribal areas as the burns units in Lady Ready Hospital and Khyber Teaching Hospital do not service their purpose.
“The burns centres in KTH and LRH exist only in name as they only have beds for patients,” another plastic surgeon, Dr Firdous, told the Agency. “Proper facility to give specialised treatment for burns is not available at the hospitals.”
With incidents of bomb blasts and fire eruption frequently taking place in the region, there is pressing need for a facility to provide urgent treatment to patients.
The pain of injured persons doubles as they fighting their way all the way through tribal areas and other districts, only to be referred to Islamabad since there is no such facility in the province.
Recently, a bomb blast occurred near Hayatabad Medical Complex, those getting burn injuries could have been provided immediate treatment had the burns centre been functional.