Despite spending billions of rupees on healthcare facilities in the province, the public still faces a daunting task for getting medical treatment in government-run hospitals and the revenue generated by medical institutions is quite disappointing for the Sindh government. The overall conditions at government-run health institutions across the province remain shabby and the poor people can be seen lying on pavements near the hospitals, seeking proper medical treatment; however, well-placed sources told Pakistan Today that during the outgoing financial year 2010-11, the Sindh government utilised at least Rs 4.095 billion on the medical facilities.
The total revenue collected by the government-run healthcare institutions stood at only Rs 75 million and the revenue collection target from these institutions for the next fiscal year has been fixed at Rs 78 million. Sources say that the revenue was generated through hospital receipts related to treatments offered to patients and other hospital fees, including that for indoor and outdoor patients, x-ray charges, clinical examination charges, etc. The revenue included receipts from the Sir CJ Cowasjee Institute of Psychiatry in Hyderabad covering payments received for the maintenance of non-pauper patients; sale of medicines and vaccines; cost of medicines recovered from well-to-do persons; sale of quinine tablets to local bodies’ dispensaries; and quinine powder sold through chemists. Also a part of the revenue is the sale proceeds from the vaccine lymph manufactured and sold by vaccine institute and also receipts from bacteriological tests.
According to the break-up of revenue collection, at least Rs 8.5 million were collected by the medical colleges of the province; Rs 6.350m through sale of outdoor tickets; Rs 7.340m from recoveries of diet charges; Rs 4.630m through rent of hospital rooms; Rs 9.560m from the government’s share of fees realised by doctors; Rs 0.750m through psychiatric hospital receipts; Rs 9m from sale of medicines and vaccines; Rs 0.28m were collected as recoveries of overpayments; Rs 0.225m through payments for services rendered; Rs 1.275m through fee for chemical examinations; Rs 0.25m through fee for medical examinations; Rs 0.850m from the registration of private clinics and laboratories; Rs 5.03m from other receipts; and Rs 20.96m from the hospital receipts.
