Nishtar Hospital Explained

Nishtar Hospital, Multan
Location:Nishtar Road
Region:Multan
State:Punjab
Country:Pakistan
Coordinates:30.2025°N 71.4444°W
Healthcare:Tertiary care
Funding:Public
Type:Teaching Hospital
Affiliation:College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan
Nishtar Medical University[1]
Beds:1800
Founded:1 October 1953

Nishtar Hospital is a teaching hospital of Nishtar Medical University, located in Multan, Pakistan. It is a tertiary care hospital, owned by the Government of Punjab. It serves a large population of South Punjab.[2]

Accredited hospital

Nishtar Hospital is accredited by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan.[3]

History

It is named after Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar, former Governor of Punjab, Pakistan, a Pakistan Movement activist, a celebrated companion of the Father of Nation, Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

The construction of the Nishtar Hospital block started in 1953. The basic idea and its plan were provided by Dr. M. J. Bhutta. It started functioning with 80 beds on October 1, 1953.[4]

Facilities

The hospital's total bed capacity currently stands at 1,850 beds.[5] It has 24 departments and divisions, over 31 wards, a burn unit, an outpatient, and an Accident & Emergency Department, in addition to 15 operation theaters.

Administration

Shahid Bukhari has been the Medical Superintendent of the hospital since 2019.[6]

2022 incident

In October 2022, it was discovered that multiple abandoned dead bodies which remained unclaimed, were stored on the roof of the hospital instead of proper burial. Later, HOD Anatomy Department revealed that the bodies could not be buried because of policy of handover of corpses to Police, which didn't take place owing to delay.[7] horrific videos and images of multiple deceased people found on the roptop of the Hospital, Multan in a bad condition circulated on social media. After the pictures and videos came out, questions arose on social media that whose bodies are these and why they are lying helpless.[8] [9] [10]

Police and rescue personnel were blamed by a representative of the Hospital for the decomposing remains.[11]

Investigation

Following incident, the Punjab government last night announced an investigation and required the Nishtar Hospital medical superintendent to provide an explanation within three days.[12] [13] A six-person committee was established by the Punjab government to look into the shocking incident.[11] The South Punjab Health Department would get the results of the investigation.[14]

The preliminary investigation report was given to Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on October 13, 2022, who then ordered the dismissal of Dr. Mariam Ashraf, the head of the anatomy department at Nishtar Medical University (NMU), along with the suspension of three doctors, three hospital staff members, and two SHOs of the corresponding police stations.[15] [16]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: History. Nishtar Medical Association Alumni Association of Bharat India.. October 30, 2020.
  2. Web site: Nishtar Medical College & Hospital Multan | Multan. multan.punjab.gov.pk.
  3. https://www.cpsp.edu.pk/files/news_notifications/CPSP_Public_Notice.pdf Nishtar Hospital is accredited by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan
  4. Web site: Nishtar Hospital. Nishtar Medical College Alumni Association of North America.
  5. Web site: Nishtar Hospital.
  6. News: Dr. Shahid Bukhari Appointed MS Nishtar Hospital. Urdu Point. August 9, 2019. October 30, 2020.
  7. Web site: Rotten bodies found on Multan's Nishtar Hospital rooftop .
  8. Web site: Rotten bodies found on Multan's Nishtar Hospital rooftop. www.thenews.com.pk.
  9. Web site: Multiple bodies found on hospital's roof in Multan. October 14, 2022. The Express Tribune.
  10. Web site: Bodies found on Nishtar hospital's roof; probe ordered. Web. Desk. October 13, 2022.
  11. Web site: Nishtar hospital starts probe into decaying bodies .
  12. Web site: Case of finding abandoned bodies on roof of Multan's Nishtar Hospital | Dunya News. video.dunyanews.tv.
  13. Web site: Mishandling of abandoned bodies to be probed. The Newspaper's Staff. Reporter. October 14, 2022. DAWN.COM.
  14. Web site: Pakistan: Six-member committee to probe abandoned bodies discovered on rooftop of Multan hospital .
  15. Web site: Case of rotten bodies in NMU: CM Elahi orders to terminate doctors . 17 October 2022 .
  16. Web site: Punjab CM suspends Nishtar Hospital staff, police officials . 17 October 2022 .