Balkh zonal hospital faces shortage of doctors

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): The Abu Ali Sina zonal hospital in northern Balkh province is facing a severe shortage of doctors and paramedical staff amid rising patient-load.

Dr. Abdul Wahid Yusufi, director of the Abu Ali Sina hospital, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the 400-bed hospital had been upgraded to 850-bed but it was facing a shortage of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff.

He said the hospital urgently needed doctors and other personnel due to the increasing number of patients and asked the government to address the problem as soon as possible.

Dr. Khwaja Noor Mohammad Faiz, head of the Orthopedic ward of the hospital, also called the shortage of doctors a huge problem as patients from about nine provinces showed up in this hospital.

He added each physician tended to dozens of patients and it was not possible to examine a large number of patients by one doctor and it led to mental stress.

Deputy Director of the hospital, Dr. Mohammad Ashraf Rawan, said the number of staff of this hospital remained unchanged for the past 20 years.

He said on average about 3,000 patients visited the hospital on a daily basis.

On the other hand, relatives of patients also complained their patients received no proper treatment due to shortage of doctors.

Sayed Aziz, who arrived in the hospital from Sar-i-Pul province, said patients were not checked properly due to lack of doctors.

Meanwhile, Dr. Najibullah Tawana, director of Public Health, also acknowledged the shortage of doctors in the Abu Ali Sina hospital and confirmed the hospital staff remained unchanged for the past 20 years.

He promised to increase personnel of the hospital next year.

sa/ma