HFH Emergency Department facing shortage of X-ray films for last 4 months

Rawalpindi-The Emergency Department of city’s largest Holy Family Hospital (HFH) is facing an acute shortage of X-ray films for last four months, informed sources on Saturday.

The doctors and technicians are asking the patients to click the pictures of X-rays on smartphones instead of giving a hard copy report for examination.

As a result, patients are suffering as they have to take snap of X-rays or they have to go to private labs to get X-rays done, which costs them Rs 200 to Rs 1,000. 

In addition, no senior radiologist imparts night duty in ER of HFH while junior doctors force patients, some of them very critical, to wait for report/ comments on X-ray till morning.

What can be most dangerous is that the doctors in ER give wrong diagnosis by seeing image of X-ray in low resolution mobile phones.

Talking to The Nation on Saturday, a doctor of HFH said that for the past four months, the ER of hospital has been facing shortage of X-ray films and several times complaints had been registered with the administration, but nothing has been done to address the problem. 

He said the shortage has also hit the OPD of hospital.

Patients who have to undergo surgeries in ER are suffering the most, he said adding that on an average day, over 700 to 1000 X-rays are required in Emergency.

“The whole day and night, the emergency department has been receiving patients who need urgent X-rays but all are getting images on mobile phones,” said Amir Khan, an attendant of a patient.

He said how will attendants of those patients get the snap of X-ray reports who don’t have smartphones? 

A young man suffered multiple injuries in a road traffic accident and was rushed to ER of HFH where his X-rays were conducted. The attendants of patient started making hue and cry when the technicians asked them to take a snap of X-ray reports to show doctors for further medical treatment.

“We came from Mansehra and don’t have smartphones with us. How can we click photo of X-ray report,” said Nizam Uddin, Shahzaib and Shehzad, while talking to The Nation.

Patients and their attendants have appealed to Chief Minister and Chief Secretary Punjab to take notice of the worst situation and to provide the management with X-ray films. 

Medical Superintendent HFH Dr Shazia Zaib was not available for her comments. 

Article source: https://www.nation.com.pk/04-Dec-2022/hfh-emergency-department-facing-shortage-of-x-ray-films-for-last-4-months