Nishtar-II Hospital in Multan has yet to fulfil its primary purpose of easing the patient burden on Nishtar Hospital-I due to a severe shortage of administrative and medical staff, sources said.
Hospital insiders revealed that the facility has faced a persistent human resource crisis since its establishment. As a result, the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) remains non-operational, forcing critically ill patients to be transferred to hospitals several kilometers away.
The shortage has also affected surgical services. Although the hospital has six operating tables, the administration can operate only three to four during the morning shift due to a lack of anesthesia staff and technical personnel. In the evening and night shifts, only emergency and gynaecological surgeries are performed.
Sources said the anesthesia department faces an acute shortage of doctors and specialists, which has slowed down surgical procedures and increased waiting times for patients.
Internal reports also claim that some doctors give limited time to the hospital while prioritizing private practice, affecting the quality and availability of public healthcare services.
Another major concern involves the shortage of operating theatre (OT) assistants. Sources revealed that the hospital has not formally recruited any OT assistants. Instead, employees hired under the janitorial cadre are being assigned OT duties.
These workers reportedly receive salaries equivalent to those of sanitation staff despite performing sensitive technical tasks. Medical experts warn that this practice violates service rules and medical standards and may pose risks to patient safety.
Documents from the Department of Anesthesia and ICU have requested immediate recruitment for dozens of vacant positions. Officials say the hospital requires at least 18 senior registrars in anesthesia, 18 medical officers, multiple technologists, and dozens of nurses to operate its planned 10 operating theatres.
To run a 50-bed ICU, the hospital also needs additional faculty members, including professors, associate professors, assistant professors, and specialized medical staff.
Healthcare professionals and residents have urged the Punjab Health Department to address the staffing shortage immediately so that Nishtar-II can function at full capacity and reduce pressure on Nishtar Hospital-I.