12 April 2004	Monday	21 Safar 1425

KARACHI, April 11: Sindh Minister for Health Naim Ishtiaq has reiterated his commitment to modifying the existing culture of hospitals and making them public friendly with emphasis on courtesy and competence of health-care providers.

Talking to different delegations that called on him on Saturday in his office, the minister said measures were being taken to address the growing public resentment against the rude attitude of the doctors and para-medical staff.

The minister maintaining that all due grievances and problems of medical and para-medical workers would be solved, stressed that they were obliged not only to provide proper care and treatment to the patients but also to restore their confidence.

He observed that the scenario in context of patient-doctor and patients-nurses/paramedics at private sectors institutions could also not be termed satisfactory and therefore a strategy was being chalked out to cultivate the concept of accountability at all cadres besides making things transparent at varied levels.

Naim Ishtiaq also mentioned the measures adopted to formulate a legislation under which vigilance would be ensured to monitor working of private sector health-care institutions. He assured the delegations that quality health-care services, besides provision for free medicines for the poor, would be guaranteed and that necessary directives in this regard had already been issued by him.

The health minister said health care facilities at the hospitals and medical units managed by the Sindh government were being improved. However, he maintained that the private sector too would have to play its due role in meeting the health needs of the public. - APP