The Sindh Health Department plans to establish a dispensary at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) to address the medical needs of journalists and their families. This was announced by Sindh Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed on Friday while talking with a five-member delegation of Association of Health Journalists Pakistan (AHJP) at his office.
The provincial minister also said the healthcare facility to be set up by his department would become functional from May 16.
Ahmed said the KPC is the hub of journalists and the need for dispensary had been felt for a long time. “The availability of medicines and specialist doctors would be ensured at this dispensary, while sample collection for various diagnostic tests would also be available for journalists,” he said.
He was of the view that this dispensary should have been established long ago but as ‘it is never too late’; the establishment of this facility would cater to the treatment needs of journalists. “It is a fact that journalists’ professional commitments among other reasons often prevent them from visiting a doctor. With the availability of this medical facility at KPC, the journalists would be able to consult specialists during working hours,” said Ahmed, adding that journalists would also be able to give samples for various tests, which would be taken to reputable laboratories for diagnosis and then the Health Department will provide treatment accordingly.
He said that news reporting of a specific field is always a challenge, as it has many technical aspects and reporting the same thing with utmost accuracy is a difficult task. The majority of journalists associated with health reporting are able to do this, which is remarkable, he added. The health minister expressed gratitude to the Association of Health Journalists Pakistan (AHJP) and the KPC for their support in setting up the dispensary and hoped that AHJP would continue in its efforts for the welfare of members and other working journalists.
Sindh Health Secretary Syed Hashim Raza Zaidi and Special Secretary Dr Suresh Kumar were also present on the occasion.
