Corona exposed private healthcare systems world over, says Bilawal
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LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said the private sector healthcare system stands exposed during the novel coronavirus pandemic across the world and Pakistan needs to rebuild its health infrastructure.
“The private health system has been exposed by the corona crisis throughout the world and we will have to rebuild the health infrastructure after learning lessons from the present weaknesses,” he said during a video-link meeting with health professionals from Punjab on Wednesday.
He argued that the healthcare facilities must not be profit-oriented and should be free for all those in need of such care.
Referring to the Covid-19 situation in the country, he lamented that the federal government sabotaged the lockdown which was initially implemented effectively.
Representatives of doctors and nurses from Punjab informed PPP chairman about the “shortcomings” in the Punjab government’s policy regarding the pandemic. Their grievances included hiring of health professional on daily wages, non-provision of personal protective equipment (PPE), setting up isolation wards in rundown buildings of hospitals, consulting bureaucrats instead of health experts in devising policies, and targeting those raising their voice against what they called wrong steps of Punjab government.
They also alleged that coronavirus test reports were being tampered with on the intervention of ministers and health professionals were being denied screening for the virus.
They said it was alarming that “most of the doctors and nurses who were infected by coronavirus were performing duties in gyne and general wards”.
Mr Bhutto asserted that the professionals fighting the virus on front line needed to be offered facilities and medals for their services like soldiers in the battlefield.
He said the federal government should extend allout help, including funds, to Punjab for tackling the disease and regularising services of all daily wager and contractual doctors and nurses.
He said family members of those who laid their lives in the fight against coronavirus should be given government jobs.
Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2020
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Comments (71) Closed
May 07, 2020 08:43am
Come to Sindh and will show you what these goons have done to our hospital its very sorry state of condition. Zardi and mini Zardari along with family is corrupt to the core these folks needs to be behind bar like Asif.
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May 07, 2020 08:47am
Look whose talking
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May 07, 2020 08:49am
We were never required to learn from experience. It was all so obvious. Alas! our leaders remained in sleepy walkover.
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May 07, 2020 08:52am
All talk, no action - typical politician.
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May 07, 2020 08:56am
He said family members of those who laid their lives in the fight against coronavirus should be given government jobs.
How can one promise this, where is merit where is right sizing
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May 07, 2020 09:02am
Pakistan needs to rebuild its health infrastructure. Couldn't agree more. Bilawal is a great visionary and future PM of Pakistan.
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May 07, 2020 09:04am
At least someone is making sense. Scandinavian countries have phenomenal health infrastructure, and they have high taxes. We have opposite, low taxes and poor infrastructure.
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May 07, 2020 09:14am
This coming from a guy who hasn’t built a decent hospital in interior Sindh
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May 07, 2020 09:19am
@akbar, "All talk, no action - typical politician". This is what Imran Khan does.
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May 07, 2020 09:23am
He is saying it sincerely, but he forgets who actually runs his party and Government when they are in power, does he realise that he is being used, his position is no different from Amin Fahim, who led the party during its most difficult period, but was sidelined when they came to power----learn how politics work in your party, know the people who actually control the party, know what they are capable of, unless he know how to play their game, he is doomed.
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May 07, 2020 09:24am
He is not right. The very simple answer is when the capacity of private hospitals are much much less than the no of patients it is obvious that the healthcare system is going to collapse. No country in the world has thought the intensity of this pandemic is so severe. Now onwards we must change our thought process and invest more money in healthcare if situation like this arises in near future we will deal in better way.
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May 07, 2020 09:35am
He should only concentrate on Sind and stop worrying about other provinces and world at large. So far his efforts are absolutely zero in Sind well knowing the amount of corruption and looting of country's resources by nearly all politician including his own families.
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May 07, 2020 09:50am
Bilawal Bhutto this is not the time for politics but time for humanity. Your points about private healthcare system having weaknesses are relevant, however, this is not the time to criticize the current government. Reality is that no country was prepared for this pandemic and certainly not Pakistan. Instead of being critical provide ideas\solutions on how the current government can resolve this weakness going forward. In fact, opt to take the lead if provided the opportunity. During these unfortunate times your party has an opportunity to prosper for the betterment of Pakistan.
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May 07, 2020 10:05am
Well Isuggest you and your father return the funds you robbed the state of, then perhaps we can strengthen out healthcare infrastructure. Dont you think, Bilawal?
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May 07, 2020 10:18am
He has no shame.......
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May 07, 2020 10:20am
Carona is also exposing the insincere.
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May 07, 2020 10:35am
@Justice, you meant, he is useless?
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May 07, 2020 10:48am
Sindh managed by Pakistan People’s Party for decades would be on the top if there was a league table for poor health care system. Sindh has truly become a province of the living dead under Bhutto Raj!!!
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May 07, 2020 10:52am
@Rizwan, who is in power past 15 years, its Sindh govt duty to build more and more hospitals. U give examples of US Europe when it commes to medical failures and when come to debt relief u give examples of poor countries.
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May 07, 2020 11:06am
@Justice, and you too are corrupt.
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May 07, 2020 11:26am
@Justice, please avoid dreams in these tragic days
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May 07, 2020 11:34am
@Abbaa , and will NEVER.
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May 07, 2020 12:04pm
When people don't have a rational argument , they start to ridicule and abuse.
Dirty politics.
If you don't agree then suggest an alternative
Be civilised or we will all end up in a bad place.
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May 07, 2020 12:05pm
He seems an intelligent man.
Reminds me alot of his grandfather.
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May 07, 2020 12:07pm
Another lecture to the whole world while doing little at home. Create a track record only then right to give lectures to anyone who cares to listen.
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May 07, 2020 12:09pm
Did it really require a pandemic to know the status of healthcare system in Pakistan ?
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May 07, 2020 12:15pm
Talking about world first take care of Thatta and thar
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May 07, 2020 12:27pm
@Justice - "Bilawal is a great visionary and future PM of Pakistan."
Yes, Sindh's current situation clearly shows his and father's vision.
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May 07, 2020 12:30pm
Looter and plunders talking about healthcare. They have looted billions over generations from Sindh and Karachi in particular. Shame on you, this 18th amendment is nothing but guarantee for these goons to remain in power in Sindh and continue looting the province and Karachi.
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May 07, 2020 12:35pm
What was ppp doing all this time.
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May 07, 2020 12:51pm
@Justice, If you are being sarcastic, you need to be clearer : ).
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May 07, 2020 12:51pm
Zardari, your father did not do anything for the public when in power and nor did corrupt Convicted Felon Nawaz Shrief. You're hollow statements are nothing but political gimmicks.
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May 07, 2020 12:55pm
@Fact finder, there is no merit in sindh or elsewhere in Pakistan.
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May 07, 2020 01:14pm
It makes one sick to hear the ruling family from Sindh talking about any improvement that will benefit the masses. They are the ones responsible for the current state of affairs in all sectors - health, education, transportation, you name it!
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May 07, 2020 01:22pm
Someone pls tell him health systems were designed to cope with known issues. Nothing could’ve prepared them for something like Coronavirus which was initially suppressed by China.
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May 07, 2020 01:28pm
You will rebuild healthcare like you grandpa ‘rebuild’ PIA.
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May 07, 2020 01:36pm
Is this guy for real. Start by publicly exposing those within your own party who for decades have sucked the nation's money dry allocated to the health-care system in Sindh. Name, shame and bring criminal charges against each one. For that you need to jump off your high horse first.
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May 07, 2020 01:36pm
Bilawal did you ask CM Murad ali shah for the compensation to Dr Furqan family ? he is Shaheed in Corona, it is you duty to immediately pay his,.
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May 07, 2020 01:40pm
No no no. You can get out of this so easily. Let the people of Sindh know what you have done in the last two decades. Hospitals, schools and security have been non-existent all this time and you and your father and his family have been buying properties the world over and flying all around the world at the taxpayer's money. We are still waiting to hear as to how your expenses and Ayaan Ali's expenses were paid out of the same account?.
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May 07, 2020 01:43pm
Bilawal knows best.
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May 07, 2020 01:46pm
The more he talks ....the more he damages himself because his own family's record is abysmal.....and the performance of PPP in Sindh is even worse.
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May 07, 2020 01:52pm
Send him to a government hospital in interior Sind next time and let him suffer the system that his ancestors stole money from.
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May 07, 2020 01:53pm
Pakistan People’s Party and Bhutto Family has really made Sindh a province of the living dead!!
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May 07, 2020 01:57pm
Please someone tell this guy that his family has been in power in sindh for decades. They are the reason of our demise.
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May 07, 2020 02:08pm
If grand father, father and mother cant do it then how come you son?
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May 07, 2020 02:19pm
Bilawal should have known by now that, corruption beats every organised system, hands down.
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May 07, 2020 02:41pm
@Imtiaz Ali Khan, Absolutely right. Just have a look in Civil Hospital Karachi, you get there for treatment of one disease, you’ll get 10 more.
No sanitation no care. The outside of Civil Hospital walls, it’s horrible, all the hospital waste piled up there, stinking so much that passerby traffic commuters had to hold their breath. Guys like Bilawal who never visit Civil Hospital or Jinnah Hospital, only read out statements prepared by spoons .
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May 07, 2020 03:21pm
sure Bilawal, take charge in Sindh and actually do something
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May 07, 2020 04:04pm
Amid ever growing and rapidly expanding coronavirus pandemic, what else can he say to mark his presence in the political arena of the country, look busy, stay afloat, get counted, rally support and above all, remain in the powerful multimedia limelight?
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May 07, 2020 04:11pm
Bilawal fot PM post. He is great..
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May 07, 2020 04:24pm
This is just talk without action, will you please let us now that your expenses and Ayyan Ali travel how come its paid from same accounts, can you please people Sindh that PPP ruling since 15 yrs how hospital has built in Sindh during your tenure. ? in Karachi, Hyderabad, Umerkot, Sukkur and Larkana, what did you do for the Thar children did you provide water to them alongwith medical.
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May 07, 2020 04:25pm
So how many hospitals were built in Karachi in the last 12 years? How many health facilities serving the poor in Sindh under your watch ?
By the way Bilawal, it’s not the healthcare facilities, it’s the readiness of the healthcare system under Pandemics
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May 07, 2020 04:38pm
Who is We....
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May 07, 2020 05:17pm
@Steve lee ,
Mr. Steve lee,
"What was ppp doing all this time".
Doing corruptions and crimes.
Don't you know this?
Strange.
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May 07, 2020 05:38pm
@Sairbeen plus., thank you brother, I'm a Sindhi born and raised in interior Sindh lots my fellow people don't have education and are deprived of education for the sole purpose so they can vote for these mafias. This has to be stopped, I voted for PTI in last election but we lost because of fear of extra judicial killing by using police, economic blockade of any businessman who vote against them, but things will get better as people are less and less scared and even voting against them ever since PM Khan tookover and won elections at the federal level, as it was show by PTI and GDA alliance won elections also very recently first time in interior sindh larkana. Brother I work for NGO as a translator when I can get sometime and we go to places in interior sindh where they don't even know how to keep basic hygiene. This is how bad situation is here hopefully we get PTI like Karachi in interior sindh too. Everything you wrote is true.
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May 07, 2020 05:52pm
@Imtiaz Ali Khan,
Mr. Imtiaz Ali Khan,
It means that the most corrupt regional political party PPP harasses the inhabitants of the rural areas of Sindh for decades.
It means the waderas, feudals and landlords are brutal, gruesome, cruel and inhumane.
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May 07, 2020 06:30pm
The Sindh government has nothing to show except pointing to the work of foundations and NGO’s ant the private sector and trying to steal credit for their work. Then this youngman goes around talking against the private sector. They seem to be really confused!
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May 07, 2020 06:36pm
What has been doing with the healthcare budget for the last decade?
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May 07, 2020 06:37pm
“ He said family members of those who laid their lives in the fight against coronavirus should be given government jobs.”. That’s how they do hiring in PPP regime. Just look at PIA!
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May 07, 2020 06:44pm
Last time I looked EU and the UK got hit hard with the pandemic - and those health care systems aren't "private".
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May 07, 2020 08:01pm
but you said sindh has the best hospital and larkana is Paris ??
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May 07, 2020 08:02pm
@Amir, need more funds to fill their pockets
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May 07, 2020 08:08pm
Everyone can see the pathetic conditions of healthcare system in Sindh. Even the doctors posted in rural Sindh used to take salaries and practice in cities
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May 08, 2020 12:13am
@kadak maal, 100% true
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May 08, 2020 12:16am
For the 18th time, Health is exclusively a Provincial subject under the 18th Amendment, passed jointly by the PPP & PML-N. So don't ask the Federal Government for any help.
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May 08, 2020 12:21am
Did successive democratic & non-democratic governments set up a single Hospital in the Public Sector in the last 50 years ?
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May 08, 2020 12:32am
Why are these naive health workers promoting or even discussing their issues with this man or his party when the PPP has always displayed a complete negligence towards health facilities & health workers during their several tenures in power.
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May 08, 2020 12:47am
AAZ & BBZ were the major beneficiaries of all Public Sector organizations when the PPP ruled in the Center. And today, they are still the major beneficiaries of all organizations under the Sindh Government's domain. So how can we expect them to bring about any improvement in Health or any other sector ?
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May 08, 2020 02:40am
How did your mommy find the money to buy Bilawal House ?
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May 08, 2020 02:49am
How did the PPP finance its massive election campaign of 1988 ? Did a good neighbor help you out ?
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May 08, 2020 07:09am
Covid-19 exposed you & your corrupt provincial government more that anyone else.
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