JPMC’s worn-out ambulances go off the road

MN Report

Karachi: The city’s major public sector hospital - Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) - has been facing acute shortage of ambulances as old and worn-out ambulances are no more in working condition, it was reliably learnt.

An official of JPMC’s administration department confided to Medical News that the hospital’s emergency service was being badly hampered as, at present, only two ambulances are plying on road.

He deplored that although 60 per cent patients with emergency requirements are generally brought to the hospital’s Accident & Emergency Department, the dilly-dallying tactics were being adopted by the concerned department in providing new ambulances to the hospital.

He said that seriousness of the issue could be gauged from the fact that ambulance service was not available to employees even if they have any emergency.
JPMC’s deputy director (Administration), Dr Jawaid Akhter Jamali, when contacted, said that the hospitals old ambulances are no more in working condition.

He was, however, optimistic that ambulances will be delivered to the JPMC within three months as the hospital’s administration had already sent a request to health department for providing new ambulances.