Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah directed the health department on Tuesday to recall all doctors working as project directors on various projects.
The chief minister, presiding over a development review meeting of the health department at the Chief Minister House, said, “This is not their job. Their job is to serve ailing people of the province. Let them do their work.”
Sindh Health Minister Dr Sikandar Mendhro said that the development portfolio of the health department currently stood at Rs 14 billion.
“Overall there are 146 schemes, including 89 ongoing schemes. Of the Rs 14 billion, Rs 5,245.374 million have been released, against which expenditures stand at Rs 1677.873 million,” he added.
Secretary Health Fazal Pechuho said that there were also 57 new schemes of Rs 4631.250 million against which Rs 21.250 million had been released.
The chief minister expressed displeasure over slow progress on the six schemes allocated for Karachi, which include a Rs 149.467 million cardiac emergency centre in Baldia, improvement of Services Hospital for Rs 162.477 million, a Rs 4.059 million up-gradation of a chemico-bacteriological lab, Rs 317.8 million for ancillary and other services at Nipa, Rs 196.642 million for the establishment of the Central Blood Bank and a Rs 199.771 million up-gradation of three maternity homes at PIB Colony, Soldier Bazar and Patel Para.
The chief minister expressed his dismay upon finding out that some health schemes of Malir had not been taken up because approval for their design was pending with the Designs, Works and Services Department.
Murad Ali Shah has again convened a health department meeting on Wednesday to review development work.
Health Minister Dr Sikandar Mendhro, Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, Additional Chief Secretary (Development) M Waseem, Secretary Health Fazal Pechuho, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Naveed Kamran Baloch, Secretary Finance Hassan Naqvi and other relevant officers attended the meeting.
