Critical Ventilator Shortage Threatens Care in Islamabad Hospitals

Intensive care units in Islamabad’s public hospitals are operating at full capacity due to a severe shortage of ventilators. All 12 machines in the ICU of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) were occupied when journalist Abid Raza Kazmi suffered a stroke, and he died before a transfer to a private facility could be arranged.

Hospital officials say the crisis is driven by rising patient numbers, staffing gaps and financial limits. PIMS has more than 90 ventilators across its specialised ICUs, but they remain in constant use, with patients often requiring support for around 20 days. The Polyclinic Hospital faces a similar situation, with its 35 ventilators almost continuously occupied. The facilities, originally built for a city of about 500,000, now serve nearly five million people from across the country under a “no refusal” policy, leading to patients being cared for on stretchers.

Authorities note that merely adding ventilators would not solve the problem without addressing staff shortages and equipment maintenance, underscoring a broader need to expand critical‑care capacity in the capital.