KARACHI: The Sindh High Court was informed on Tuesday that Rs11.76 million had been approved to set up four centres for training of gynaecologists and nursing staff to treat fistula patients.

In compliance with an earlier order, the provincial director of maternal, neonatal and child health programme placed a report before a two-judge bench of SHC headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar.

The report said that Rs11.76 million had been approved in the revised PC-I and there was a possibility that the amount would be released by the finance department within 10 days.

These funds will be available for establishment of four training centres at Chandka Medical College Hospital in Larkana, Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College Sukkur, Peoples’ Medical College Hospital in Shaheed Benazirabad and the Liaquat University of Medical Science Hospital in Jamshoro, it added.

An additional advocate general requested the bench that for further compliance this petition might be kept pending as the issue of public important was involved.

The bench directed the secretary of health, who was present in court in some other cases, to file a report as to how many gynaecologists were available in the different government hospitals of Sindh and who were trained to treat fistula and adjourned the matter till Oct 17.

The bench also directed it office to send a copy of this order to the finance secretary of Sindh for release of funds at an early date so proper arrangements could be made for fistula repair initially in four proposed centres which were mentioned in the report.

The directive came on a petition calling for utilisation of funds for a national programme to control maternal deaths.

The petitioners, including renowned gynaecologist Dr Shershah Syed, contended that around 5,000 women died during pregnancy every year in Sindh due to lack of healthcare facilities in rural areas.

They further submitted that there was a shortage of medical facilities as well as trained staff to attend to patients, adding that the government had launched the maternal & newborn child health programme many years ago, but the funds allocated for the programme were never utilised.

The petitioners contended that over 1,500 fistula patients hailed from the province, where a majority of government hospitals do not provide fistula repair surgeries.

They pleaded that the authorities concerned were directed to ensure access to affordable treatment of obstetric fistula to all women in the province.

Pleas against Faryal, others

The same bench on Tuesday expressed dissatisfaction over an incomplete report filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan in a set of petitions seeking disqualification of PPP MNA Faryal Talpur and some former provincial ministers.

Four petitioners through their counsel moved separate petitions against Ms Talpur, a sister of former president of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari, former provincial ministers Manzoor Wassan, Nasir Hussain Shah and Sohail Anwar Siyal and contended that they were holding Iqama (work permits) of other countries and did not disclose them in their nomination papers during 2013 general elections.

Therefore, they argued that it tantamount to violation of Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution read with sections 99(I) (f) the Representation of People Act 1976 and pleaded for their disqualification.

On the previous hearing, the SHC had expressed resentment over the ECP for not filling comments as a law officer of the ECP sought more time for filling the comments on the grounds that the commission was busy in presidential election.

When the matters came up for hearing before a two-judge bench on Tuesday, the ECP submitted a one-page reply.

The bench expressed dissatisfaction over incomplete reply and granted last chance to the ECP to come up with a comprehensive report by Oct 9.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2018