Benazir Bhutto Hospital Faces Severe Medicine Shortage

Crisis in Medicine Supply at Benazir Bhutto Hospital

The Benazir Bhutto General Hospital is grappling with a serious shortage of medicines as patient numbers continue to rise. The hospital currently owes Rs330 million to pharmaceutical vendors, while its total medicine budget for the fiscal year stands at Rs380 million.

If these pending dues are cleared, the hospital will be left with only Rs50 million for new purchases—an amount officials say is far too small to meet the needs of indoor patients, emergency cases, and outpatient departments.

During the previous fiscal year, the hospital was allocated Rs400 million, but actual spending surged to nearly Rs800 million due to the growing patient load. This resulted in a shortfall of Rs400 million, of which only Rs70 million was adjusted from another budget head, leaving Rs330 million unpaid.

For the current fiscal year, hospital authorities requested Rs1.25 billion to ensure uninterrupted medicine supply. However, the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department approved only Rs380 million, far below the requirement.

Hospital officials warn that even after settling outstanding payments, the facility would still need an additional Rs800 million to Rs1 billion to adequately serve patients. The hospital provides medical coverage not only to Rawalpindi Division but also to Azad Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad, making the shortage a regional healthcare crisis.

The growing patient load has stretched resources to breaking point. Without urgent financial intervention, officials caution that the shortage could severely impact patient care, leaving thousands without access to essential medicines.

This situation highlights the pressing need for increased healthcare funding, better resource management, and timely vendor payments to prevent further deterioration of medical services in Pakistan’s public hospitals.