Govt hospitals' plight.

Byline: FAISAL ANSAR - Karachi

A few days ago, a Government employee was taken to Government hospital Korangi No.5 in emergency with a complaint of severe pain in shoulders and little pain in the chest. Available duty doctor did not pay much attention to the patient and said to patient that it seemed muscular pain and injected pain killer owing to which the patient got temporary relief. After some duration he started feeling the same pain and rushed to nearest private hospital where ECG test was carried out immediately. Duty doctor recommended the patient to proceed to Cardio Vascular hospital without spending a single moment as ECG report was not satisfactory.

On arrival to Cardio Vascular hospital patient's condition had become worse and he started falling unconscious as a result he was continuously being injected to get some relief. Later the patient underwent through Angiography in which three valves were found blocked. A stent was placed inside one 90% blocked artery to hold it open through Angioplasty while to open other two 30% blocked arteries, doctors suggested the patient to come to hospital after a week while keep using medicines and yet to decide whether to carry out bypass surgery or treat the patient with medicines. Doctors remarked that due to late arrival in Cardio Vascular hospital, heart has been damaged badly as it was cardiac arrest when the patient first felt pain. Concerned authorities should look into this irresponsible attitude of duty doctor who could have guided the patient to consult any heart specialist if he was not willing to carry out ECG test instead of averting patient which could have cost his life.