Patients in distress as Jinnah Hospital Karachi faces financial crisis

Karachi’s Jinnah Hospital, regarded as the country’s largest public-sector hospital, is hit by a financial crisis due to administrative negligence.

According to details,  patients visiting the hospital are deprived of basic facilities, including essential medicines, with no effective mechanism in place to address their grievances.

Jinnah hospital administration is facing an acute shortage of paramedical staff, nurses, and faculty members. Although the Sindh Health Department has provided medical officers and Jinnah Sindh Medical University has assigned faculty, delays in appointments have left several issues unresolved.

Due to the lack of facilities in the government hospital, patients undergoing treatment are being forced to purchase even essential medicines from private markets.

Speaking to ARY News programme Bakhabar Savera, Jinnah Hospital spokesperson Dr Waqas Khan said the hospital currently requires around 2,000 additional staff members to meet operational needs.

Responding to questions regarding funding and staff shortages, he said that certain financial matters are under litigation.

He added that court stay orders on contract-based appointments, along with the retirement of existing government employees without replacements, have further worsened the situation.

The journey of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) started in 1930 in Medical Corps Hospital, meant for medical aid to military personnel exclusively. In 1942 it was re-named as the British General Hospital and remained as such till 1947; a 100 bedded hospital with all basic necessary facilities.

After the creation of Pakistan in 1947, the father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was requested to grant approval to lend his name to the hospital, which he graciously accorded, with the condition that it be opened for the public.