21 February 2004	Saturday	29 Zilhaj 1424

KARACHI, Feb 20: As many as 13 healthcare facilities in the Jacobabad district are non-functional. A majority of the non-operational facilities are basic health units.

This is the finding of the Chief Minister's Inspection Team which has sent a strong report to the health department over the issue. According to a source in the health department, the situation obtaining in the Thatta district is hardly better where 35 health care professionals have been absconding for the last several years.

In the Jacobabad district, 34 per cent of the sanctioned posts were lying vacant, revealed the source, as 161 doctors were posted against a sanctioned strength of 249. In an effort to cover up deficiencies in the posting of the lady doctors many of these had been given over to men.

The non-approval of SNEs (Sanctioned New Expenditures) was the main reason behind the non-functioning of 13 health-care units in the district, explained the source.

The Maternity and Child Health Centre, Jacobabad, and the intensive care unit at the Civil Hospital, Jacobabad, were non-operational because of the shortage of staff.

The supply of medicines was also poor because against the total allocation of Rs19.3 million only Rs1.4 million had been released so far. In a health unit in Garhi Khero no lady doctor had been posted while the X-ray machine there had been out of order for the last two years.

Four dialysis machines in the Civil Hospital, Jacobabad, were unutilized since the last one year and only one X-ray machine was operational out of four. The deputation of doctors was too frequent which was against the government policy.

In the Thatta district, about 40 per cent of the positions were vacant, the source told Dawn. About half the positions meant for lady doctors was vacant. The buildings in the Thatta district were generally in a state of disrepair, especially family quarters in the Civil Hospital, Thatta. The main building of the taluka hospital of Sujawal and the Rural Health Centre of Chuhar Jamali was also in a shambles.

In the Civil Hospital, Thatta, no eye surgeries were performed although an ophthalmologist was present and the equipment were there too. This kind of procedure was frequently performed at the taluka hospitals, revealed the source.

The approval for the SNEs was awaited in the case of 25 health units. Even though the selection of 25 vaccinators had already been completed a year ago they were still waiting for their appointment orders.