KARACHI: Delay in funds release hits hospital’s projects
KARACHI, Feb 26: Unwarranted delays in the release of funds have severely hampered the services at the 200-bed Sindh Government Hospital, Liaquatabad, catering to the needs of around 2.5 million people.
During a visit to the health facility on Tuesday, the caretaker Sindh Health Minister, Fauzia A. Lari, was informed about the problems facing the health facility.
She was informed that the auto-chemistry analyser approved to be procured under the MPA Priority Programme 2006-07 then extended to 2007-08, was deferred on one pretext or the other.
The medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr Shaheen Hussain, said that under its development scheme, a breast cancer diagnostic centre had also been planned.
But the plan could not get materialised as the works and services department had blocked the funds prompting the contractor concerned to discontinue the assigned task, she deplored.
“Non-availability of an essential facility is causing difficulties for the female population,” she said.
The official said that despite all problems, the hospital somehow managed to establish a well-equipped dialysis unit and a nursery for the neonates. However, she said, the facilities could not be made functional due to the non-availability of the relevant doctors and paramedics.
She said that an SNE (Sanctioned Number of Employees) had been approved in 2006-07 for the appointment of 26 gazetted medical professionals and 55 non-gazetted professionals.
The caretaker health minister assured the medical superintendent that the matter would be taken up before the relevant authorities and all possible steps would be taken to steer the health facility out of the current crisis.
Ms Lari said that the issue of induction of doctors on a contract basis against vacancies in government hospitals across the province would also be raised.
“I will personally request the chief minister to withdraw the ban on recruitment of doctors and paramedics in the larger interest of the ailing humanity,” the health minister said.—APP
