Pakistan Medical Association’s (PMA) Sindh Chapter has recommended that all district health officers (DHOs) and medical superintendents (MS) of hospitals from general cadre must necessarily have diploma in “public health” or equivalent.
PMA-Sindh President Dr Samrina Hashmi and General Secretary Dr Haider Bux Jatoi talking to APP Tuesday said: “merit must be adopted as an important requirement ensured through the Sindh Public Service Commission for appointments against these important positions.”
They also held non-medical professionals, from other service cadres, serving in the provincial health department responsible for Tharparkar tragedy. “These officials neither have inkling for health issues nor any idea about factors triggering health conditions and so-forth of the areas they need to take care of,” said Dr Samrina Hashmi.
They also suggested that specialist doctors must be posted at all districts and taluqa hospitals and these facilities must also be equipped with operation theatre facility. With specific reference to famine-like situation in Thar and deaths of children due to severe malnutrition, resulting in pneumonia and other ailments, they said suspending a few officials was no solution. “A strong political will is needed and these must be focussed on appointing of honest and qualified officers on merit, ” said Dr Jatoi.
He also reminded that it was reported in 2011 that 70 percent of the province’s population was under-nourished, and 17.5 percent was severely malnourished.
“Due notice followed by adequate preventive measures could had averted the tragedy we are faced with today,” said PMA-Sindh officials.
Dr Samrina Hashmi said the poverty and malnutrition was not due to doctors but can be attributed to corruption and mismanagement registered in the health department. “This is no secret that there are no funds to purchase medicines and essential equipments at almost all government healthcare facilities while posting and transfers are easily available through a strong recommendation,” she said.
