PESHAWAR: The Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) has suspended free diagnostic investigations for senior citizens in its Outpatient Department (OPD) and Accident & Emergency (A&E) Department.
The decision was announced through a notification issued by Acting Hospital Director Dr Sajjad Ullah Dawar on September 3.It stated that the free investigation facility for senior citizens in the OPD and A&E Department had been “temporarily suspended” pending proper approval of a policy by the competent authority.
The notification, issued in supersession of all previous orders, said the suspension would remain in place until approval of the policy by the Board of Governors of MTI KTH/KMC/KCD.The hospital administration, however, maintained free access to six baseline investigations for senior citizens in the A&E Department.
These comprise complete blood count (CBC), random blood sugar (RBS), electrocardiogram (ECG), urine routine examination (Urine R/E), alanine transaminase (ALT) and creatinine.The order does not specify any timeframe for approval of the proposed policy, meaning that the broader free diagnostic facility for senior citizens in the OPD and A&E Department will remain suspended until the competent authority takes a formal decision.
The development is likely to be of particular significance for elderly patients who require investigations beyond the six baseline tests retained under the order.With the previous arrangement superseded and no deadline mentioned for policy approval, the scope and duration of the suspension now rest with the Board of Governors.
Efforts were made to seek an official comment from Acting Hospital Director, who is also holding the charge of Associate Hospital Director of KTH, Dr Sajjadullah Dawar, but his phone was found switched off, and he did not reply to a text message sent to his cellphone.
