Daily Times

ISLAMABAD:The Capital Development Authority (CDA) Hospital which was established for the low paid employees of the CDA is reserved for the treatment of important personalities and top bureaucracy of the civic body only.

The hospital is refusing even a pain killer pill to low paid staff of the CDA, saying that due to lack of funds, the hospital has to owe more than Rs 30 million to the pharmaceutical companies as these firms have also prevented supply of medicines to the hospital due nonpayment of previous bills and the acute shortage of medicines prevails in the hospital.

The Hospital has sent demand to Chairman CDA for additional budget of Rs 108 million for purchase of medicines on which he instructed his Finance Department to release Rs 50 million to the hospital without any delay.

During the short period of one month ,eight Medical Officers, who were working on deputation in CDA hospital were sent back to their parent departments. At the time the hospital is facing the deficiency of 21 MOs, where some 3000 patients visit OPD daily.

The 280 bed hospital remains full of capacity every time, whereas feasibility report and PC-I of construction of five stories additional block comprising of 100 bed have been prepared. The sources said that the budget is also approved for the project.

The CDA high-ups were of the view that funds would be released to hospital and the debt of pharmaceutical companies would also be repaid soon.

The Secretary General of CDA Workers Union , Chaudhary Yasin told Daily Times that the union would continue its struggle for the right of low paid staff. There is no one who takes care of these poor employees in the CDA hospital whereas bureaucracy is given VVIP protocol there.

“We brought into the notice of Chairman CDA about the plight of the hospital several times”, he said and requested State Minister CADD to make more health units in different sectors of Islamabad for CDA employees to lessen the load form the Hospital

In the Hospital there are 131 posts vacant including doctors and staff nurses.