KARACHI: Nazim seeks people’s help to solve city problems
KARACHI, Dec 30: The Nazim of Karachi, Naimatullah Khan, has said that Karachi is faced with so many problems that even the federal and provincial governments together cannot resolve them.
He was speaking as the chief guest at a ceremony, held here on Sunday night on the occasion of the installation of four modern dialysis machines at the Government Hospital, Korangi No- 5. The machines have been donated by the UK-based Noor Foundation.
The Nazim urged the well-off people, having the spirit of serving the masses, to come forward and serve the poor and extend their cooperation to the government in ensuring welfare of the needy people. He called on philanthropists to help the education, health and other departments in providing better facilities to the citizens.
Naimatullah Khan dispelled the impression that Karachi was the city of rich people. He pointed out that the city had 538 katchi abadis housing hundreds of thousands of people struggling for two square meals a day.
Due to the financial constraints and a high unemployment rate, he added, he could not help the destitute despite being the Nazim of the city.
He said that he had inherited a ruined city, with hospitals and schools being in dilapidated condition, when took over as the Nazim under the newly-introduced local governments system.
“We have been reconstructing the city,” he said adding that the district government had accomplished the tasks of implementing a record number of development schemes in a short period of time.
He appreciated the generosity and efforts of Mohammed Shafiq, Chairman of the Noor Foundation, for the donation and said the machines would be operated by the doctors under the management of a trust. He acknowledged with gratitude that the foundation would also bear the expenses incurred in the dialysis of destitute patients.
Naimatullah observed that kidney diseases were spreading fast and their treatment was quite expensive. He announced that the city government would establish kidney departments in other hospitals also and that installation of dialysis machines there would also be ensured.
The Nazim also announced an immediate sanctioning of Rs1 million for an emergency centre at Korangi Hospital and said that tenders had already been invited for the purpose.
Mr Naqshbandi, in his speech, stated that his foundation had so far installed machines worth one million pounds sterling in the district headquarters hospitals of Sheikhupura, Gujranwala and Sargodha. He said the foundation had also provided machines worth Rs6 million to the hospitals in Korangi and New Karachi.
By the year 2010, he said, the foundation would achieve the target of installing 120 machines in 30 hospitals. At present, he added, about 14,000 patients were being provided dialysis facility and the foundation was sharing the expenses up to Rs2,000-3,000 per dialysis.
He said that during the year 2004, dialysis machines would be provided to hospitals in two districts each in Sindh and Punjab.
“An agreement is being concluded with the NGO, Anjuman Falah-o-Behbood for the maintenance of these machines in Pakistan and the NGO would also bear the expenses on daily basis,” he added.—APP
