Severe overcrowding and a lack of hospital beds in Karachi’s public healthcare facilities are making it nearly impossible to maintain effective infection control, posing serious risks to both patients and medical staff. In emergency wards at Civil Hospital and the National Institute of Child Health (NICH), two or more patients are routinely forced to share a single bed, and in some cases, multiple children are placed on one bed due to space limitations.
According to international guidelines, including those set by the World Health Organization (WHO), each patient should have a separate bed and adequate physical distance to prevent the transmission of infections. However, the dire shortage of beds at Karachi’s government-run hospitals is preventing adherence to these standards. Many patients arrive critically ill after being turned away from over-capacity hospitals such as JPMC and Indus Hospital. With no room available, families are often reluctant to leave, leaving medical staff to adjust patients onto already occupied beds.
The overcrowded conditions are not only a logistical problem but also a public health hazard. Medical experts warn that placing multiple patients on a single bed significantly increases the risk of cross-infection, allowing germs and bacteria to spread uncontrollably. This is especially concerning in children’s hospitals, where the risk of disease transmission is higher among vulnerable pediatric patients.
Despite the severe challenges, senior officials at public hospitals acknowledge the health risks and stress that, under the circumstances, they are forced to make difficult decisions to save lives.