BAHAWALPUR: The Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH), one of the largest public hospitals in South Punjab, is reeling from a severe shortage of life-saving medicines, exposing yet another glaring failure of the Punjab government’s healthcare policies. The crisis, which has been worsening for weeks, has been confirmed by Medical Superintendent Dr. Aamir Bukhari, who attributes the dire situation to delayed government funding and outstanding dues to medicine suppliers.
Funding Delays & Financial Strangulation
According to Dr. Bukhari, the Punjab government had approved Rs. 1,160 million in its fiscal budget for BVH’s medicine procurement. However, only Rs. 530 million has been disbursed so far, leaving a staggering shortfall of Rs. 630 million. This partial release of funds has crippled the hospital’s ability to procure essential medicines, endangering the lives of countless patients who rely on the facility for treatment.
He blamed the provincial government’s flawed policy of releasing funds in installments instead of a lump sum, calling it a bureaucratic stranglehold that has pushed the hospital into a financial deadlock. "We need a consistent and timely flow of funds to maintain adequate medical supplies. Fragmented disbursements make it impossible to sustain operations efficiently," he emphasized.
Pharmaceutical Suppliers Cut Off Medicine Supply
According to Dr. Bukhari, the crisis is further aggravated by pharmaceutical companies refusing to provide medicines to BVH due to pending dues. These companies cite outstanding payments as the reason for halting supplies, further deepening the healthcare emergency at the hospital. Without immediate action from the government, thousands of patients could be left without access to critical treatment.