Punjab: The walled city needs more government health facilities
Punjab: The historic walled city, considered the most densely populated in the entire district, does not have adequate government healthcare facilities. Most residents depend on private clinics and hospitals, which have mushroomed in the area in the past two decades. In the name of government healthcare facilities, the walled city has only two Aam Aadmi clinics at Chowk Fawara, on the heritage street that leads to Jallianwala Bagh, and inside Gate Hakima. There is an Urban Community Health Centre (UCHC) at Dhab Khatikan. The Princess of Wales Zenana Hospital, built in 1917 during British rule, was converted into a UCHC under the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM). The UCHC has a labour room, operation theatre and outpatient department. Harish Seth, a resident, said that the services of the UCHC are rarely availed by patients other than pregnant mothers and infants. The building is quite large and has a parking space too, yet most people consider it a health centre only for pregnant mothers.
Therefore, they do not consider approaching UCHC in case of medical emergency. Satnam Singh, a resident of Chardiwari, said more than two lakh people live within the 12 gates of the walled city – Lahori Darwaza, Khazana, Hakima, Gilwali, Ramgarhia, Doburji, Ahluwalia, Deori Kalan, Rambagh and Lohgarh. The Hall gate was added by the British. He said residents are forced to spend their hard-earned money in case of medical emergency. The Civil Hospital and Guru Nanak Dev Hospital-cum-Medical College are outside the walled city. In case of emergency, it is difficult to cover the distance to government healthcare facilities due to traffic congestion. When contacted, civil surgeon Dr Kirandeep Kaur said general patients can also come to UCHC for treatment. It has a gynaecologist, a paediatrician, a telemedicine specialist and a microbiologist. Besides, two Aam Aadmi clinics are being looked after by one MBBS doctor each. He said though there are only two clinics in the walled city, there are many more government healthcare facilities available outside it.
