KARACHI, Oct 27: Paediatrics Ward-III of Civil Hospital Karachi is facing shortage of doctors, as no replacement has been provided to the ward of some 11 Resident Medical Officers, who had been granted Ex-Pakistan leave or transferred from the hospital from June 2003 to date.

Four RMOs Dr Iftikhar, Dr Arbab Junejo, Dr Arif and Dr Jay Kumar had been granted long leave/ Ex-Pakistan leave. Dr Shahid Qayyum got him relieved by health department officials, but not officially relieved by the paediatrics department.

Six other doctors including Dr Chandi Raam, Dr Samina Tariq, Dr Dileep Kumar, Dr Meenhal, Dr Ghulam Rasool and Dr Liaquat Brohi were either transferred or deputed to some other place.

"This process has been started since June 2003. Hospital administration has been informed several times in writing but no step was taken so far to fill this gap," an official of the department told PPI.

He said that there was quota of 14 RMOs in 2003. "Due to shortage of staff, we are utilizing postgraduate students and junior doctors, but, they cannot produce result of seniors. As a result, patients are not being provided quality healthcare in the ward," he added.

"Doctors working in the ward also look after the Diarrhoea Treatment Unit (DTU), where around 60 to 70 patients visit the unit every day. Of them an average of one or two children of serious condition are being admitted to the ward having capacity of 62 beds," he disclosed.

He said that there was also shortage of nurses and paramedics whereas no peon was provided to the ward by the hospital administration and those performing duties were the paid volunteers of a non-governmental organization, "Save Our Children".

INCINERATOR: An incinerator having capacity to dispose of 80kg hazardous waste in a scientific way, installed at a cost of Rs0.3 million at Sindh Government Hospital New Karachi, has started functioning.

An official of the hospital told PPI on Wednesday that the incinerator was arranged by Pakistan Medical Association's general-secretary Dr Sher Shah Syed.

He said that about 30kg hazardous waste of various departments of the hospital was being disposed of through this incinerator. "It is quite safe and environment-friendly method to dispose of hazardous waste," he said.

"Earlier the hospital waste was taken by Town Municipal Administration New Karachi and they used to dispose it of," he added. -PPI