The Sindh government decided to appoint around 200 doctors for Thar who will be posted in local health centres, dispensaries and taluka hospitals.
“Among 200 doctors, some have passed the public service commission examination and others will be appointed on a contract basis,” an official said.
A government-funded survey revealed that there are 47,000 breastfeeding women in the region, so the health department is working on a package for them.
“Everyone focuses on civil hospital, which is located in Mithi town. Far-flung areas are deprived of basic facilities and underprivileged people can’t travel to cities and towns due to lack of transport and communication system,” a local journalist was quoted as saying to a private media outlet.
“Each dispensary has an average fund of Rs8000 in a month to purchase medicine. Not a single doctor is available except for a few which have been taken up by the People’s Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI),” he added.
Dr Khatumal Jeewan, a Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) member of provincial assembly revealed that the health department will also hire 1,100 lady health workers.
“The government is already paying double salaries to doctors and a Rs10,000 allowance to paramedics for their duties in Thar,” he added.
A spokesperson to the health minister has vowed that the government will install fifty more dispensaries in the region which will be staffed with trained midwives and doctors.
Officials have also voiced concerns over the lack of veterinary doctors in Thar, adding that there are 7 million animals but only 7 vets to cater to the animal population.
