A violent mob attacked Koohi Goth Women’s Hospital, a charitable healthcare facility in Landhi, on Wednesday, assaulting staff members and causing extensive damage to medical equipment and ambulances, according to the hospital administration.
The attack reportedly stemmed from an incident that occurred three weeks prior, when a woman from a nearby village gave birth at the hospital. Due to complications, she was referred to Dr. Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, where she remained under treatment for a week before passing away on Tuesday.
Citing this as the trigger, Prof. Dr. Tipu Sultan, the hospital’s head, told Dawn that dozens of individuals from surrounding villages descended on the facility the following day, assaulting medical personnel with sticks and stones and vandalizing hospital property, including ambulances.
Dr. Sultan, a former principal of Dow Medical College, expressed deep sorrow over the incident. He emphasized that Koohi Goth Women’s Hospital had been established years ago to provide high-quality, free medical care to underserved communities, particularly focusing on women’s health.
He highlighted that the hospital is one of only two institutions globally offering free treatment for obstetric fistula, a debilitating condition affecting many women in low-resource settings.
Lamenting the attack, Dr. Sultan warned that continued acts of violence and intimidation would discourage professionals from serving vulnerable populations.
