Sir: Some opposition leaders from time to time criticise non-availability of medical equipment in the hospitals due to which a large number of patients suffer. But such criticism is not always based on ground realities on the whole. Hospitals work round the clock and as such medical equipment including sensitive ones remains under constant use. There is no denying the fact that due to extensive load and round the clock usage, some equipment does develop faults, but these are either repaired by bio-medical engineering departments of hospitals or their suppliers at the earliest possible. According to the reports in the newspapers, in compliance with the direction of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Punjab government had submitted a report in the apex court recently regarding the state of medical equipment in all 44 tertiary-level hospitals. The medical equipment situation so presented before the apex court is quite commendable and speak volumes about improvements in the health sector being carried out under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister whose frequent surprise visits to the hospitals here and there in the province are yielding the desired results in a satisfactory manner. The report said that 90 percent of the medical equipment in the hospitals of the province are in functional state while the rest with minor faults are repaired within the shortest possible time, and in case of major defects, the required parts are imported because components of high-tech medical equipment are only available either with the manufacturers or sole agents. According to the report, 122 out of 886 ventilators, 70 of the 582 anaesthesia machines, four of 39 CT scan machines, 26 out of 513 dialysis machines and 75 of total 723 ECG machines are not functional. Moreover, all the nine MRI machines and 56 oxygen and nitrous central supply machines as well as most the diagnostic equipment are also functioning properly. Although this equipment should be repaired or replaced at the earliest, the figures portray a satisfactory picture of the conditions of tertiary hospitals. Rather than merely criticising the provincial government without even ascertaining factual position on the ground, the good work being done by ensuring availability of best possible treatment to the patients in the government hospitals throughout the province must be duly appreciated, in all fairness. ASIM MUNIR Rawalpindi