Islamabad: Health services in Islamabad and Rawalpindi were thrown into disarray on Friday as major roads remained blocked and mobile networks suspended due to the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) protest, preventing thousands of patients and healthcare workers from reaching hospitals.
Officials at the Ministry of National Health Services confirmed that patient attendance at major government hospitals fell by more than 50 percent compared to normal days.
According to officials at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), outpatient departments, emergency rooms, and inpatient wards saw a sharp decline in patient numbers, with overall attendance falling to nearly half of the usual daily average.
Cardiac, children’s, and mother-and-child care units were among the worst affected, as most patients coming from outside Islamabad failed to reach the hospitals due to road blockages and long detours.
“Obviously it becomes difficult for patients. Not only emergency patients but routine patients also suffer, as those who get appointments for their procedures couldn’t reach and miss their long-awaited appointments. Today, the number of patients was much less than usual,” said Dr. Hyder Abbasi, a senior physician at PIMS.
Hospital officials said thousands of patients travel daily from Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Chakwal, and Jhelum to Islamabad for specialized treatment. With containers blocking Faizabad Interchange, Express Chowk, Zero Point, and several other key routes, many ambulances carrying heart, trauma, and dialysis patients were forced to turn back.
PIMS reported a steep decline in attendance across departments, with just over 50 patients treated at its Burn Care Centre, around 100 at the Cardiac Care Centre, and fewer than 400 at the Children’s Hospital, compared to normal figures that range between 700 and 1,000 daily.
The Mother and Child Care Hospital also saw a drastic drop, recording fewer than 200 patients against its usual 400-plus turnout.
Doctors said patients with heart disease, expectant mothers, and children requiring emergency care suffered the most. “Several cardiac patients who had follow-up appointments or tests couldn’t make it. One pregnant woman called crying from the highway because her driver couldn’t find an alternate route,” said a senior doctor at Polyclinic Hospital.
Officials said the closure of mobile and internet services compounded the crisis by disrupting ambulance coordination, telemedicine consultations, and hospital helplines.
“With phone and internet services down, we couldn’t even contact on-call specialists or verify which patients had arrived,” said a PIMS administrator.
Hospitals across the twin cities operated with skeletal staff as dozens of doctors, nurses, and paramedics were stranded for hours due to the road closures. “We had to run departments with minimum staff. Attendance of medical and paramedical personnel was barely 40 to 50 percent,” the administrator added.
Patients undergoing chemotherapy, dialysis, rehabilitation, and mental health therapy were also affected. “People on chemotherapy can’t skip sessions, but many couldn’t reach. Some called to say they’ll try next week,” said a consultant at a private oncology center.
Senior officials at the Ministry of Health acknowledged the disruption and said it underlined the need for medical access corridors during such protests. “Security arrangements are important, but essential health services must never be compromised. We are in touch with local authorities to ensure that hospitals remain reachable during any future closures,” a health official said.
Friday’s blockade once again exposed the fragility of Pakistan’s healthcare system in times of political unrest. For thousands of patients who depend on regular hospital visits, the day’s disruption was not just a matter of inconvenience but a stark reminder of how quickly public health access can collapse when mobility and communication are cut off.
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