Daily Times

LAHORE: Shortage of beds, staff and equipment at the nursery wards of the Lahore General Hospital (LGH) are hampering proper treatment of neonates, it has been learnt reliably.

Source told Daily Times that the 1,000-bed LGH had capacity to cater 60 neonates only whereas bed occupancy rate is 100 percent. They said that the health facility eight cots while the number of hospitalised babies in nursery ward remains more than 35. Moreover, the nursery ward has only two ventilators to cater to the needs of the patients, and sometimes attendants of newborn patients are compelled to use Amo bags, raising chances of error that can lead to death of neonates due to excessive pumping.

The two available ventilators, donated by a man, in nursery ward have worn out, while there are no digital monitors’ available in Paeds Emergency from the last two years. Only one monitor is available to check vitals of patients while no ECG machine is available in Paeds Emergency, added sources.

A paediatrician, on the condition of anonymity, told Daily Times that neonates were the most vulnerable to diseases as 61of them die annually per 1,000 in Punjab, which was the highest mortality in Pakistan. The reasons are acute infections, low birth weight, birth asphyxia and premature birth, he added.

He said most of these causes were preventable. “Lack of attention by the government is resulting in the deaths of neonates from preventable causes,” he said, adding that in the absence of the desired infrastructure at the government-run hospitals, treatment being given to neonates was not up to the mark.

When contacted, LGH Medical Superintendent Dr Gulam Sabir said he would look into the matter and shortcomings would be rectified very soon.