Pakistan's Rawalpindi faces growing healthcare crisis amid rising costs and overburdened hospitals
New Delhi, June 28
A growing healthcare crisis is unfolding across Rawalpindi as overcrowded public hospitals, rising treatment costs and the absence of regulation in the private sector leave thousands of residents struggling to access medical care, a report has said.
Long queues outside government hospitals have become a daily scene in the city, with patients arriving before dawn in the hope of receiving treatment, according to Dawn report.
However, increasing population pressure and limited healthcare infrastructure have pushed public facilities beyond their capacity.
At major hospitals, including Benazir Bhutto Hospital, outpatient departments remain crowded throughout the day, forcing many patients to wait for hours. Medical staff say the shortage of doctors, beds and resources has made it difficult to provide adequate care, the report said.
"Our OPD remains crowded every day and we fail to keep count of the number of patients we encounter on a daily basis. There simply aren't enough doctors or beds," a junior doctor at Benazir Bhutto Hospital said on condition of anonymity.
The doctor said many patients require detailed examinations, diagnostic tests and follow-up consultations, but the hospital lacks the resources to handle the increasing patient load.
While private healthcare facilities offer an alternative to long waiting times, many residents say the cost of treatment has become unaffordable. Consultation fees vary widely across hospitals and clinics, with no standard pricing mechanism in place.
A visit to a general physician can cost between Rs 1,500 and Rs 3,000, while specialist consultations often range from Rs 4,000 to Rs 7,000 or more. Patients also complain about additional expenses for diagnostic tests, medicines and follow-up visits, as per the report.
"There is no regulation. Everyone charges what they want and it varies in different parts of the city," said Mohammad Azeem, an employee of a private company who recently borrowed money to pay for his mother's treatment for a kidney infection.
"It's not just the fee, it's the tests, the medicines and the follow-ups. Health has become a luxury," he said cites by Dawn.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The lack of regulation in private healthcare is something we in India are all too familiar with. Here too, consultation fees vary wildly and diagnostics are a money-making racket. It's sad that in both countries, common people are suffering. At least they're reporting it honestly in Dawn—we need more transparency like this.
"Health has become a luxury"—that line really hit home. It's the same in our tier-2 cities. Government hospitals are jam-packed, and private hospitals bleed you dry. Both nations need to learn from each other on this front. Maybe we should think beyond borders and share best practices for public health? 🤔
I feel for the people of Rawalpindi. The picture painted here—patients arriving before dawn, shortage of doctors and beds—is a nightmare we know too well. Our Ayushman Bharat scheme has tried to address some of these issues, but it's not perfect. Hopefully, Pakistan can also find a way to make healthcare accessible for all.
Why is no one talking about the doctor's perspective? That junior doctor's quote shows the system is failing them too. Overworked, under-resourced, and still trying to help. In India, our resident doctors have been protesting for better conditions. The system needs fixing from both ends—for patients AND healthcare workers.
Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000 for a general physician? That's steep for a common Pakistani worker earning maybe Rs 30,000 a month. Here in India, even in the
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