KHYBER AGENCY: Rather than facilitating the suffering patients, the medical staff at the Agency Headquarter (AHQ) Hospital, Landi Kotal has allegedly multiplied distress of the poor patients of the areas. Hazarat Wali Afridi, leader of Pakistan People Party (PPP) Khyber Agency has accused the medical staff of casualty department and labour room of getting illicit money from the patients of the area. He said that Rs 65 was official fee of the Labour Room while the on duty nurses and midwives demand extra money from patients on the name of service charges. He further said, in casualty department the staff members collect Rs 30 for injecting an injection to the patient while charge Rs 50 for inserting IV line into patient’s vein. Wali said that female patients suffering hurdles due to unavailability of female staff for electrocardiogram (ECG) in the hospital. Irshad Shinwari, another PPP activist told Daily Times that some qualified doctors not follow the rules. They prefer to offer duties in their private clinics instead of Outdoor Patients Department (OPD) as they get there heavy fees from the poor patients, he lamented. A resident of Landi Kotal, requesting anonymity said that his spouse was admitted in the labour room for delivery purpose. he was asked to buy all required medicines from a private medicine store. After the delivery he said, when his wife gave birth to a boy baby, the on duty midwife, identified as Zarmina demanded Rs 2,000 from his wife for the provision of labour service. They demanded of the high-ups to take notice of the transgressions in the hospital. When contacted to Medical Superintendent of Landi Kotal hospital Dr. Zar Alam Shinwari he denied all the allegations on the staff. “There is an Internal Inquiry Committee for such issues. if a patient was asked for illegal money, must use a proper channel. He, one who was affected, should file a written complaint in MS office against the culprits,” MS said. Rejecting the accusation about the issue of ECG operators, Dr. Alam said that two operators, one male and a female, were available for 24-hours in ECG room to facilitate the patients. The medical superintendent stated that they provide all necessary medicines for free to the patients being admitted in the labour room. He maintained that it was in his priority to take steps for the uplift of the hospital and for the welfare of poor patients of the area.