KARACHI, Jan 1: The year 2003 will be long remembered by the Karachiites as the one in which some Pakistani doctors, in collaboration with some British ones, successfully carried out a liver transplant operation in a local hospital.

The transplant operation was undertaken in a city where just over six months ago an apparently rabid dog had bitten seven boys and just under six months ago more than 10 people had died after consuming contaminated water.

The successful discharge from hospital of the six-month-old transplant baby - Sohaib - within 25 days of his operation showed quite clearly that the Pakistani doctors were a competent lot, given a strong determination to succeed.

The episode showed that the staff of Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, where the operation was carried out, may be rather overworked and disorganized but were nevertheless imbibed with a spirit to serve the fellow humans.

The other developments taking place in the health sector in 2003 were far more modest, downright tragic in most cases. The foremost among such developments was the outbreaks of gastro-enteritis cases in Landhi and Gadap Towns in late June and early July. The two outbreaks, caused by consumption of contaminated water, claimed at least 12 lives.

It must be admitted that the health department officials and workers, and also those of Edhi Foundation, had sprung into action as soon as the outbreaks struck.

Several lives were saved due to their long vigils and hard work at the Sessi Hospital in Landhi, Sindh Government Hospital Korangi 5, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Civil Hospital Karachi and in the makeshift medical camps in the affected areas.

However, the fact remains that the outbreaks had reared their ugly heads because piped water had been contaminated with sewage after a horrible mixup in the water distribution and sewerage systems. So, in the ultimate analysis it was the government which should be blamed for the deaths.

In another case of post-haste, on July 12 the authorities managed to make operational the Sindh Government Children's Hospital, North Karachi, which should have started functioning more than five years ago.

The hospital opened its doors for the ailing youngsters of Karachi five years late due to a lack of operating funds.

It was due to the efforts of Governor Ishratul Ibad that the hospital was made operational. That's why the people making speeches at the opening ceremony sang his praises.

However, the hospital is not out of the woods yet because many problems that had plagued the hospital project since its inception remain to be resolved in full.

Another hospital which was opened during the year with much fanfare was the Landhi Medical Complex. Unlike the other so many hospitals in the city, this one was opened within two months. The reason was political, obviously.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement wanted to make a positive statement to the people of Landhi, soon after the removal of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement from the scene.

This they did by first getting vacated the hospital, which was under the use of the rangers personnel, and then by equipping it with the needed staff and equipment within a few weeks. For that reason alone, this hospital merits a mention.

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) created quite a stir during the year. Some healthcare professionals and journalists were apprehensive that SARS would ultimately find its way from the affected countries to the Pakistani population if the port authorities were not vigilant enough.

A campaign of sorts was mounted by them, the aim of which was to keep the port authorities on their toes. In the end their fears proved unfounded, as no case of SARS was reported, though a few false alarms were raised.

The worst environmental disaster in the city's, and the country's, history also created a furore. Many people residing in the area near the part of the coastline where the Tasman Spirit got grounded, and later disintegrated, complained of irritation of the eyes and also of some respiratory problems.

Others spoke of headache and drowsiness, besides irritation of the throat. To be sure, however, the health problems did not assume epidemic proportions as the major hospitals of the city did not report too many cases.

In measures aimed perhaps more at damage control than at welfare of the people, the Karachi Port Trust and Sindh Police established a few medical camps near Seaview Township. Many people from the middle-class families visited these camps.

Most of the affected people, however, visited the private hospitals and clinics because they wanted better care. One reason, no doubt, was lack of trust in government officials.