Medical college board approves over Rs 862m budget

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed the administration of Syed Abdullah Shah Institute of Medical Sciences (SASIMS), to start a satellite angioplasty centre for which he has already talked to NICVD.

“I want to see the facility operational at the institute by the end of this month.”

He said this while presiding over a meeting of SASIMS board of governors (BOG) here at the CM House on Thursday. The meeting was attended by all the BOG members, including Health Minister Dr Siokandar Mendhro, Health Secretary Dr Fazal Pechuho, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput, SASIMS Director Dr Ahsan Siddiqui, GIMS Director Dr Raheem Bux Bhatti and others.

The chief minister said that he had issued directives to NICVD to establish its satellite center at SASIMS and still no move has been made in that direction.

The BOG approved a Rs862.964 million annual budget of the institute for the year 2017-18 and also approved purchase of new equipments.

The meeting was told that the government has released Rs100 million to the institute for payment of salary, purchase of some approved equipment and hiring of more doctors. On this, the chief minister directed his principle secretary to hire a state bank auditor to audit the expenditures made so far. “I am sure each and every penny must have been spent judiciously,” he said and urged the BOG to support him to make the institute a model in terms of honesty and efficiency.

The meeting was also informed that with the approval of the BOG, 46 male and female doctors have been hired for a period of three months. The fresh hiring has improved service delivery in OPD and indoor departments.

The chief minister further directed the director of the institute to start a paramedical training center at the institute with its affiliation with Sindh Medical Faculty. “The new academic year would start in October 2017, and I want to see the first batch of 90 students in October,” he said and directed him for necessary arrangements for the purpose.

The CM also issues directives to the district administration to remove encroachment from the government land around the institute so that its expansion could be made.

The chief minister directed the institute management to finalise the building works and said that he would visit the institute shortly.