KARACHI: The unfortunate citizens of Karachi who have faced terrorism, extortion, street crime, chaos for a long time are also being butchered by those claiming to heal humanity.
Doctors who have acquired specialisation in respective fields are literally butchering patients by charging them up to Rs 3,000 per visit. These specialists who on average see around fifty patients a day are making more that Rs 100,000 per day which is a staggering amount foreseeing the general living style of the average people.
“I have been sitting for 3 hours for Dr Mehboob Alam, a rheumatologist, and his time to start seeing the patents is 7 pm but its past 8 pm and he hasn’t shown up with around 50 patents waiting for him,” said an enraged Gul Muhammad, who had come from Nawab Shah for a medical checkup.
Dr Mehboob charges Rs 2000 per patient and he examines patients at two clinics.
“I have borrowed the fees to pay the doctor from my brother to come to Karachi since I cannot afford such an expensive doctor,” informed Gul. “If you see around me more that half of the people waiting for the doctor seem to be poor.”
Same goes for Professor Ehsanul Haq who charges Rs 1,500 per patient and checks as many as 40 of them.
“I had just come for a second opinion but the doctor said that he cannot give any but he did not refund the fees which his receptionist had taken in advance,” said Saeed Iqbal.
“I bring my brother quite frequently to see Dr Shabbir Akhtar since he is suffering from throat cancer but unfortunately even after paying Rs 2500 per visit I have to sit for hours to see him and the doctor is so rude that he doesn’t even feel ashamed of making us wait for so long even that we have had prior appointment of a particular time,” said Abdullah Mumtaz. He had a bitter experience with Dr Azam Ali who insisted to have the checks done from the laboratory only he had recommended, even though it was far.
“My father who was suffering from cancer has died now but I still feel the humiliation by the doctors during his treatment,” informed Abdul Basit.
“I used to visit Dr Nasir Hussain, the famous doctor of this field, and he used to charge me Rs 2500 on every visit. The amount of his fees was a little high for me to bear and I had no other choice to switch to Kiran hospital for further treatment. My father has left this world but my belief in humanity has totally vanished after the treatment received from the specialists in this field. They are even worst than the undertakers who at least show a little sorrow on your grief.”
Arshad Khan, who regularly visits cardiovascular specialist, said, “NICVD which used to be an excellent facility has turned into money minting affair since the last year or so. Those senior doctors who used to cater poor patients assuming it as their duty have stared charging for angiography, angioplasty, pathological lab and cardiac surgery. Since the last year or so the Zakat fund is not being utilized for the care of poor patents and they have to run from pillar to post for their treatment.”
“I know for a fact that these doctors who are making 30 to 50 million rupees every year are not paying their taxes properly, if they were doing so Pakistan would not be in a financial deficit,” said a financial consultant. “These doctors not only pay their taxes properly but are also taking huge leverages from the pharmaceutical companies to write their medicines only. They are to an effect clearly cheating their oath to work for the cause of humanity.”
Gul Raheem, a social activist from Orangi Town, said that they have set up Al Khidmat Centre in the area to cater to the needs of the poor patients. He said further specialists at the centre examined patients for Rs 200 only.
At Liaquat hospital specialists charge Rs 500, Bantwa hospital Rs 300, Metro Alliance hospital Rs 250, Kutiyana Memon hospital Rs 300, Fatima Bai hospital Rs 300 and at Memon Foundation hospital patients are charged Rs 200.