DADU, Oct 9: Members of the district council, Dadu, have unanimously demanded provision of medicines to health centres and hospitals and action against those officials of the health department who were refraining from providing the live-saving drugs.

The resolution was passed at a meeting of the council presided over by Ali Mohammad Soomro on Thursday. The Nazim, union council Khudadad, Mohammad Parial Birhamani, said health officials were not providing medicines to health centres and hospitals properly thus depriving poor patients of healthcare.

He alleged that in June, the health department purchased low- quality medicines and misappropriated funds. He said that the officials were again trying to purchase low-quality medicines without the knowledge of the district government.

He said that medicines should be purchased with the prior permission of the district Nazim, the DCO and the purchasing committee, adding that shortage of medicines should be eradicated from the health centres and hospitals of the district.

The Nazim, union council Dadu-II, Nisar Ahmed Shaikh, said that patients were not being treated properly, citing the case of Yaseen Ghaloo who was brought to the Civil Hospital where doctors failed to treat her. He also complained against some staff members of the hospital.

The members of the council, supporting the resolution, directed the EDO (Health) to transfer the storekeeper and the female ward in charge of the hospital.

The Nazim, union council Phulji town, Qazi Imtiaz Ahmed Qureshi, complained against officials of the animal husbandry department whose negligence had resulted in the death of over 200 goats and a large number of cattle heads. He suggested that vaccinations should be carried out in the district.

Mohammad Nawaz Bughio said that officers of the revenue department were using delaying tactics in the issuance of permanent residence certificates and domiciles to students. He suggested that the certificates be issued on the recommendations of the union council Nazim concerned which was upheld by the house.

DCO Aijaz Ahmed Mangi informed the council that he had replaced the entire staff of the PRC and Domicile branch.

The Nazim, union council Drigh Bala, Sikandar Leghari, said many primary boys and girls schools remained closed but officials, including clerks and teachers, were still drawing salaries. He further said that school management committee funds were also being embezzled. He informed the house that over 4,000 children of the area were without education.

He urged the government to take notice of ghost schools and initiate action against corrupt officials and reopen the schools.

The Nazim, union council Moundar, Sikandar Ali Shahani, recommended that shares of development schemes in the Annual Development Programmes should be given to union council Nazims. The suggestion was also passed by the house which urged the provincial government to provide more funds for distribution among the union council Nazims.

The Nazim of union council Betto Jatoi, Zafar Ali Jatoi, pointed out that the coordination and budget committees were working unlawfully as these had not been elected by the council members. He said that these committees should be elected through the district council to be legitimate.

Speaking on the occasion, district Nazim Malik Asad Sikandar said that 16 out of 80 union councils had not received any development funds, but assured the allocation of Rs400,000 to these union councils, adding that an additional amount of Rs500,000 would be released to all the councils for smaller projects.

He said that the union council Nazims should submit their schemes to the EDO (Works and Services).

DEMO AGAINST POLICE: A large number of people held a demonstration outside the office of DCO, Dadu, on Wednesday to protest against the police excesses.