The Employees Social Security Institutions (ESSI) in the country need to coordinate with each other in order to streamline protection of workers’ rights in their respective provinces, notwithstanding that they may be following the International Labour Organisation (ILO) rules and regulations.
This was the consensus opinion of Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI) Vice Commissioner Shafiq Ahmed Shaikh and officials of KPK ESSI including Director (Adm) Gohar Ali, Finance Director Nisar Khan and Dr Kamal Shah, currently on a visit to Sindh.
The SESSI’s vice commissioner said that 28,217 industrial and business units were currently registered with his institution which was providing health care facilities to 6,73,383 workers and their respective families through five of its hospitals and 45 dispensaries across the province.
“An amount of Rs 2 billion and 57 million is being spent by SESSI in this regard,” he said mentioning that the SESSI- run healthcare facilities are not only well equipped but also manned by qualified professionals.
The meeting between SESSI and KPKESSI officials was also attended by SESSI’s Medical Advisor Dr Shah Mohammad Nohari, Finance director Abid Bukhari, Contribution and Benefit director Samina Saeed, Vigilance director Abdul Razzaq Memon and others.
KPK officials informed their Sindh counterparts that more than 64,000 workers were registered with their provincial employees’ social security institution while it was running two major hospitals in Gadoon and Swat respectively.
They also visited Kulsoom Bai Valika Social Security Hospital and a factory in Sindh Industrial and Trading Estate (SITE).