LAHORE - Dysfunctional equipment, shortage of consultants, extra burden of patients and inadequate space has been affecting the overall service delivery at Punjab Dental Hospital, the oldest healthcare facility in dentistry presently working in a dilapidated building.
Providing dental health services to Lahore and its surrounding areas since its establishment in 1930, the Punjab Dental Hospital is presently in a shamble due to lack of interest on the part of ruling elite in shifting the facility from dilapidated building to a safer premises, repair/replacement of dysfunctional equipment and filling vacant posts of consultants.
Besides causing huge inconvenience to the visiting patients, the state of affairs at the hospital is also disturbing training of doctors studying at its affiliated institution de’Montmorency College of Dentistry. One seat of Associate Professor and three of Assistant Professors are lying vacant in the institution having no post of Senior Registrar, affecting clinical training of under graduate and postgraduate trainees. Prof Sohail Abbas Khan is also holding office of Project Manager Fatima Jinnah Institute of Dentistry and Principal Nishtar Dental College, thus having little or no time for de’Montmorency College of Dentistry and Punjab Dental Hospital.
Around 500-600 patients are daily visiting the hospital at its OPD. Six out of nine Autoclave machines and 87 out of 97 dental units are lying dysfunctional for years. Compressors of majority of the air conditioners and the central air conditioning system of all departments are not in working condition.
Prevailing situation at the Punjab Dental Hospital and the resultant strike of doctors during the last month, however, caused people at helm of affairs to come out of deep slumber and take some initiative for improving service delivery.
“The situation has improved slightly. Doctors’ strike caused the government to take some initiatives like provision of one Autoclave machine, two air conditioners and allocation of funds for repair of equipment. But still this is not enough to restore normal working of the hospital,” senior dental surgeon Dr Arshad Mahmood Malik said, adding the atmosphere and infrastructure was not condusive for patients handling.
“Necessary equipment is not in working condition. Eight to nine dental units are attached with one compressor. There is no dedicated water supply for the hospital. Due to that, the hospital is getting water from nearby Lady Willington Hospital. Huge rush of patients and lack of infrastructure is hampering service delivery. In addition to that, there is only one electricity connection. There are no adequate funds for fuel to run generator during hours-long loadshedding. In that case doctors either return patients or treat them with cell phone lights,” Dr Malik said, adding the situation was really troublesome both for the patients and doctors. As many as 71 FCPS and 35 MDS students are getting postgraduate training at the institution.
“This is the only medical institution having no seat of SR. Besides that four posts of Associate and Assistant Professors are vacant. This is hampering training of PG trainees,” he said.
Referring to the dilapidated condition of college and hospital building, he said that the structure was declared dangerous nine years back. The government was paying no attention to the most important issue and the doctors were forced to provide treatment to patients under roof of a building declared dangerous, he added.
Referring to the hardships of healthcare providers, Dr Malik said that there was no hostel for house surgeons. The existing hostel in Anarkali, he said, was meant for BDS students and house surgeons were forced to spend huge amount on rented flats/houses.