Despite the government announcement to provide free angiography and angioplasty tests facility for the poor heart patients of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at Lady Reading Hospital’s (LRH) cardiology department, the patients were returning to their homes without the tests being done at all. The reason, The Frontier Post has learnt are that the department lacks the machinery required to do the tests for angiography and angioplasty.
Recently, Provincial Minister for Health Syed Zahir Ali Shah had inaugurated the free angioplasty and angiography test facilities for the poor heart patients at the LRH. It is learnt that due to the non-provision of funds by the government the hospital administration was
A source on the condition of anonymity said heart patients from all over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa visit daily to Cardiology Department of LRH to get free of cost angiography and angioplasty but because of the lack of facilities they had to return back.
He further said that pace makers, stunts and dialysis machines were not available to the patients and still the equipment were not purchased, while on the other hand due to lack of angioplasty machines heart patients were on the risk as the machines were not available in the centre.
He added that Cardiology department was in need of life saving machines and due to the lack of these machines patients lives were on the risk.
The source further added that the government had announced 2.5 million budget for the Cardiology department which was not enough while in Cardiology centre every day 25 patients visited while eight patients were need Angioplasty.
When contacted with Chief Executive of LRH Dr Arshad Javed said that some people did not want and against the free treatment as they were received commission from the patients and because of that they were busy in propaganda against the Cardiology department.
He further said that in two weeks the Cardiology department gives 45 patients free treatment of Angioplasty, adding that before the patients were face problems as they were also huge expenditure on Angioplasty but now the government gives the free facilities of health to the heart patients.
He also added and rejected the notion that the department lacks of equipment, adding that nothing is out of stock.
Dr.Arshed Javed further added that they were also give advertisement in news papers for the new equipments while said that it will be take time, adding that we have already talk with a forum that they will give the use machinery for the department which will be soon reached in a week and after that the patients were not facing any problem.
Frontier Post
