Being an expat for the past many years, I had lost information about the basic health structure in Pakistan, that is how it works. I was more afraid to go to any hospital in Multan. But Allah has been kind enough that I have a great experience in the hospital.
To bring into your knowledge, I landed in Multan after 15 years in 2018. Multan is my ancestral city. I grew up there but left right after my matriculation. My visit was going really smoothly. But one day, my mother’s car was hit by a lorry on her way to the shopping mall. Somebody called me from her phone as I was the last person she talked to. I was accompanied by my cousins as I was not fully aware of the city’s whereabouts anymore. We reached there without wasting a single moment.
Blessing in disguise
My mother was left with many injuries. People called for an ambulance. I remember feeling anxious about her condition, as she was in severe pain. I could also remember her face when she was gently lifted out of the car. The police arrived at the location as the people had caught the driver. The police caught hold of the driver and asked about the incident. The driver was drunk, this is what we came to know later.
My mother was put into the ambulance. She was given first aid immediately. Luckily, she was in her senses. The paramedics held her hand as we traveled to the hospital in Multan. After witnessing all these, I was half calm. My mother was taken into an emergency unit of the hospital. A team of doctors came rushing toward my mother. They were all energetic and young doctors. They attended to my mother with smiling faces. A thorough check-up was done. I have been told that my mother had no serious injury. They asked me to settle down and enjoy a cup of tea. Meanwhile, they did all the necessary tests.
About tests, it was all done inside the hospital territory at a cheaper rate. My mother was admitted there for only two days. But those two days changed my perspective on Pakistan’s healthcare system. Though it was not like the way I have experienced in a foreign land. Yet it was much better than what I have heard about Pakistan’s healthcare system till then.
Hospital
Looking around this Hospital in Multan, it was located in a busy city area. The building was old yet maintained. All basic health facilities were available. Doctors were available 24/7 to ensure quality services and facilities for the care seekers. Emergency rooms had sufficient beds. I could see people from different social statuses coming here.
With the availability of both Male and Female doctors, the hospital provides free treatment, free medicines, and treatments to approximately 400+ patients on a daily basis. The hospital provides meals to its patients daily. The Medical Store was within the vicinity of the hospital. Above all, a diagnostic laboratory, physical therapy departments, an obstetrical unit (a nursery and a delivery room), operation rooms, and recovery rooms were all under one roof.
Hospital Staff
During my stay in the hospital, I got to talk with many young doctors. Their enthusiasm and dedication to their profession sparked me. Their mannerism impressed me to the core. I did not find a slight frowning on their faces. Likewise, senior doctors are extremely professional and updated in that Hospital in Multan.
The paramedical staff is equally important for a hospital. The staff was well trained and super cooperative. I had been told that the hospital management took proper care of its paramedical staff’s health services and behavior.
What a janitor staff the hospital in Multan has. They were equally efficient in performing their duties. They were responsible for maintaining a clean and healthy facility which included mopping & vacuuming floors, disinfecting surfaces and restrooms, and emptying trash and recycle cans.
Cafeteria services were also a plus point of the hospital. One could get freshly cooked food 24/7. It was served from breakfast till dinner including tea items at a minimal cost. The staff was meeting the expected requirements of personal hygiene and wearing the correct uniform and safety clothes. The kitchen area was always neat and tidy. Crockery was cleaned and polished.
My mother got better and I came back from Pakistan. Not a single day has passed when I have not mentioned my experience with the Hospital in Multan.