KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Friday directed the provincial health authorities to file a comprehensive report by May 23 on appointment of doctors to vacant posts in public hospitals of the province.

A two-judge bench of the SHC, headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar, also asked the health secretary to immediately transfer doctors to the government hospital in Shikarpur until new appointments were made.

At the outset of the hearing, in compliance with an earlier court order, the health authorities submitted a report on availability of staff and medical facilities at public hospitals in Shikarpur, Badin, Thatta, Larkana, Tharparkar and six other districts of Sindh and said that 79 posts of medical officers were lying vacant at the government hospital in Shikarpur, adding that a budget of Rs300 million has been allocated for the health facility.

Bench expresses displeasure with govt for not filling vacant posts in hospitals

The petitioner, Shahab Usto Advocate, informed the bench that two youngsters were recently brought to the public hospital in Shikarpur in injured condition following a traffic accident, but they died since there was no facility for surgery at the hospital.

The bench expressed extreme displeasure with the health authorities for not filling the vacant posts in public hospitals and directed the health secretary to immediately arrange doctors at the hospital in Shikarpur until the posts were duly filled.

The court also sought a complete report from the health secretary by May 23 on filling of vacant posts at public hospitals across the province.

Advocate Usto had filed a petition and sought a probe into high number of deaths of the victims of the bomb blast at an Imambargah in Shikarpur allegedly due to unavailability of timely medical assistance.

He had also sought a direction to the provincial authorities for ensuring availability of specialised doctors, paramedical staff and treatment facilities in the public hospitals of each district of Sindh.

The petitioner informed the court that the state of medical facilities was unsatisfactory at public hospitals across the province due to negligence on the part of authorities concerned, adding that patients were dying due to unavailability of doctors at public health facilities in the rural areas of the province as the doctors were not willing to serve outside the urban centres.

He claimed that although the relevant authorities had been announcing the appointments of doctors at hospitals run by the provincial government, nothing had been achieved practically.

FIA DG’s family seeks protection

Another bench of the SHC on Friday allowed a request of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) chairman seeking more time to file comments on a petition seeking protection for family members of Federal Investigation Agency Director General (DG) Basheer Ahmed Memon.

The bench directed the ACE chairman to file comments by June 4.

Manzar Basheer Memon, son of FIA DG, moved the court and sought direction to bar provincial government departments, especially ACE, from harassing or initiating any illegal action against the members of his family.

The petitioner maintained that his family was being victimised because his father, as head of the FIA, had initiated inquiries and corruption cases against some influential persons and in reaction some departments had started harassing his family.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2018