KARACHI: Sindh has been facing the worst health crisis as the provincial healthcare facilities face a shortage of at least 5,307 doctors and paramedical staff, thus disrupting the functioning of the district headquarters hospitals (DHQs).
According to sources, the sanctioned strength of doctors and paramedical staff in the province stood at 67,876 against which some 62,569 are working and while there is a shortage of 5,307 doctors and paramedics.
The vacant positions include 2,929 doctors of general cadres, 492 doctors of specialist cadre, 129 dentists, 10 pharmacists, nine drug administrators, 210 nurses, 1,214 paramedics and 1,295 LHWs.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah also chaired a high-powered meeting of the Sindh Health Department in which the CM directed the health department to fill the vacant positions so that under construction health facilities could be made functional.
The CM also directed the health department to complete upgrading of 13 taluka hospitals to DHQs by December and also allowed hard area allowance to doctors for serving in remote areas.
“We have to continue our efforts in a more energetic and effective way for improving health services, capacity building of doctors and improving the medical education system,” he said.
The chief minister was told that under special initiatives, 17 taluka headquarter hospitals are being upgraded to the level DHQs. They are Tando Mohammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Jamshoro, Khairpur, Badin, Shikarpur, Mithi, Thatta, Dadu, Naushehroferoze, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Mirpur Mathelo, matiari, Kamber-Shahdadkot, Umerkot and Kashmore.
At this, the chief minister directed the health secretary to complete their construction work and get their SNEs approved by December. “I want to functionalise them at any cost,” he said.
It was pointed out that there were 206 primary health facilities in Sindh which include 138 RHC, 810 BHUs, 883 dispensaries, 89 MCHC, two homeopathic dispensaries, eight urban health centers, 42 maternity homes. The chief minister was told that out of 2016 health facilities, 1,032 were being run by PPHI, 821 by the health department and 163 on PPP mode.
The meeting was told that out of 109 secondary and tertiary health care facilities, 95 are being run by the health department and 14 were operating under PPP mode. In medical education, the Sindh government has 75 universities/colleges/institutes and schools. They include five universities, eight colleges, four dental colleges, 21 Nursing schools, five public health schools, 16 community Midwifery Schools, two nursing colleges, four paramedical institutes, one physiotherapy school, two health technicians schools and seven institutes like NICVD.
Health Secretary Dr Usman said that 12 programs/projects were in progress in the health sector. They are EPI, LHW Programme, Maternal & Child Neonatal Child Health Programme, TB Control Programme, Prevention & Control of Hepatitis; Prevention & Control of Blindness, Malaria Control, Nutrition Support, Enhanced HIV/AIDS control, Dengue Control & Prevention, Accelerated Action and Diabetic Control. The chief minister also directed the health department to keep him updated on the progress of these programmes. Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho also assured that she would be monitoring the progress of these health sector programmes.
In the meeting, it was pointed out that the doctors were reluctant to serve in remote areas. At this, the chief minister directed the health department to give them hard area allowance as being given in Thar.
The chief minister said that after the education sector his government was giving top priority to health sector where Rs108.8 billion was being spent during 2018-19 and during last financial years it had Rs100.3 billion allocation. “Therefore, its results should be in accordance with the investment,” he said.
Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho, Chief Secretary Major (r) Azam Suleman, P&D Chairman Mohammad Waseem, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput, Secretary Health Dr Usman Chachar, Secretary Finance Noor Alam were among others who attended the meeting.
