A serious shortage of vascular surgeons in Karachi’s public hospitals has come to light, raising concerns about the potential loss of valuable human limbs due to delayed or unavailable medical intervention.
According to sources, in a city of over 25 million people, major public hospitals like Civil Hospital and Jinnah Hospital have only two vascular surgeons each, while Dow University Hospital has just one. Shockingly, many of these large hospitals also lack comprehensive data on accident victims. Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, one of the city’s key public health facilities, has yet to establish a vascular surgery department. Due to the absence of such critical services, patients are often forced to seek costly treatment at private hospitals.
Medical experts state that vascular bypass surgery in private hospitals can cost between PKR 800,000 to PKR 2.5 million. In contrast, public hospitals offer these expensive procedures free of charge.
Karachi witnesses daily traffic and industrial accidents that result in the loss of limbs for many individuals. According to doctors, if vascular surgery is not performed promptly, the affected limb often has to be amputated.
Professor Shahid Rasool, Executive Director of Jinnah Hospital, revealed that over 300 traffic accident patients arrive daily at the hospital’s emergency unit, with 15 to 20 of them requiring immediate and complex surgical intervention. He stressed that the current number of vascular surgeons is insufficient to meet the overwhelming demand and called for the urgent establishment of a vascular surgery department at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.
Dr. Fahad Memon, a health expert, explained that vascular surgery is a super-specialty that requires extensive training and expertise. He expressed concern over the lack of interest among young doctors in this field and noted that public awareness about vascular surgery remains alarmingly low. Immediate attention is needed to address these critical gaps in the healthcare system.
