Medical staff shortage mars child healthcare at NICH

As many as 240 posts are lying vacant at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) since last several years which is not only causing inconvenience to patients but also putting extra workload on existing staff, it was learned on Saturday.

Reliable sources told PPI that the NICH was a 500-bed healthcare institution and one of the largest children hospitals of Sindh province. He said the NICH provided tertiary care services to combat almost all types of pediatric diseases and was equipped with latest diagnostic facilities, but unfortunately, over 240 posts were lying vacant in the hospital since last several years.

He said the hospital administration was facing multiple challenges after the devolution of institution to the province. He informed that over 240 posts including doctors, paramedics, nursing staff and other technical vacancies were lying vacant in the hospital as no new recruitments had been made in healthcare since last five years.

He said there were 815 sanctioned posts in institution out of which 575 were filled while over 240 were lying vacant. He said there were five sanctioned posts of professors in the hospital out of which only one was filled, while four were lying vacant. He said only three associate professors were available in the institution against total nine sanctioned posts. He said there were 16 sanctioned posts of assistant professors in the institution out of which 10 were vacant.

He said posts of chief nursing superintendent, deputy chief nursing superintendent, principal school of nursing, consultant, physiotherapist, assistant anesthetist, account officer, nursing instructor, hospital equipment engineer, principal technician, dialysis technicians, data entry operator, accountant, assistant accountant, security officer, chief technicians, assistant nursing superintendent, store keeper (general), sanitary inspector, plumber, AC mechanic, lift operator, cook, sanitary workers, security guards and sewerage man were lying vacant since last several years.

He informed that dozens of employees were waiting for their promotions as no departmental promotion committee meeting was held during the past five years in the institution. He said a good number of employees were retired from service, some left jobs and others joined other national and international health institutions considering better opportunities there.

He said patients care had been badly affected due to shortage of doctors, staff nurses and paramedical staff in institution as compared to the past. He said uncertainty was prevalent among doctors, nurses and paramedical staff due to promotion issues. NICH Deputy Director Arshad Domki while talking to PPI, said that there was acute shortage of doctors, skilled nurses and paramedical staff in the hospital since last several years. He said the administration was unable to fill vacant posts due to some legal issues.