Hospitals play a crucial role in any region. Balochistan, the province of Pakistan, has 30% of its hospitals located in cities; unfortunately, most of these are private hospitals and in limited numbers.

Starting with Quetta, the capital city of Balochistan, there are five notable hospitals: Bolan Medical College (BMC), Civil Hospital, Fatima Jinnah Chest & General Hospital, Helper’s Eyes Hospital, and Sheikh Khalifah Bin Zayed Hospital. However, these hospitals are not sufficient to serve the large population.

Furthermore, the doctor-to-patient ratio in Balochistan is 1:2000, while the nurse-to-patient ratio is 3:20,000, reflecting a dire situation. The ratios in the rest of Balochistan are even worse than these figures.

Additionally, 11 million children die before reaching the age of five due to issues during delivery and government irresponsibility.

Moreover, the District Headquarter Hospitals in Naseerabad, Sibi, Khuzdar, Kech, and Loralai have specialists but lack essential medicines and facilities. The patients of these hospitals are regular visitors to private hospitals in Karachi and Punjab. The Rural Health Centre (RHC) in Tehsil Gandawath, Jhal Magsi is a prime example, as it is located in an area with no access to drinking water. Similarly, the RHC in Mashkay, which was functional before the 2013 earthquake, still lacks basic facilities.

Finally, the percentage of births attended by skilled birth attendants stands at 18%, while birth facilities are available in only 16% of cases; however, better facilities could improve health outcomes. In rural areas, the shortage of hospitals forces residents to seek care at private hospitals, which many often cannot afford.

SANA BALOCH,

Hub.