| 04 August 2004 | Wednesday | 17 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425 |
Troops for Iraq
Pedestrian bridges & underpasses
Rejection of heritage nominations
India's basic position
Pakistan performance in Asia Cup
Banking courts' working
Planetarium
TV licence
U-turn
'Happy days are here again'
Increase in CNG and gas charges
Surgical gloves duty
Balloting of papers
To send a letter to the Editor
Click here
Hospital economics is the efficient running of a hospital to provide maximum medical facilities within a balanced budget. This is required more in the case of our government-run civil and military hospitals.
In Pakistan, spending on health is a mere one per cent of GDP. In the US, hospital insurance, though costly, allows people to have some of the best healthcare available in the world.
In the UK, healthcare is free for all citizens including those who have recently immigrated. The concept of 'hospital economics' has gained some momentum in the US where the brunt of the expensive treatment charges is borne by the not-so-well-off.
One way to keep hospital costs in check is to prescribe medicines, especially antibiotics, judiciously. Antibiotics should be prescribed only when other treatment has proved to be ineffective. As compared to antisepsis, use of antibiotics is not preferable especially in a patient who has undergone surgery.
Vaccination programmes and public health awareness measures, especially those relating to the drinking of water and sewerage disposal, family planning, screening of blood and so on can help reduce the costs of healthcare in the long run by improving the health indicators of the population.
Most of the health budget is spent on salaries, while the rest ends up being wasted because resources like medicines and hospital equipment end up being pilfered. All this needs to be prevented to ensure that resources set aside for healthcare are properly utilized.
As for medical insurance, it is a relatively new concept in Pakistan. It's use should be encouraged especially given that the cost of quality medical treatment is always on the rise.
Many doctors can carry out lesser medical procedures without admitting the patient overnight but in practice they don't do this. The end result is higher costs for the patient.
Again, this is something that can be avoided, especially when an operation is a minor one - for example, treatment of hernia, vasectomies, removal of a cyst, operating for a cataract or gynaecological treatment such as DNC under general anaesthesia.
The Pakistan Medical Association has helped to hold several free medical camps in Sindh's rural areas, especially for eye treatment. Such camps should be further encouraged and pharmaceutical companies should provide funds and medicines.
Some private hospitals often prescribe what is usually unnecessary investigatory treatment asking for several tests, operations and eventual hospitalization.
One reason for this seems to be that they are after all a business and if a patient stays longer they can charge more in fees. In some maternity homes, instead of waiting for a natural delivery, doctors seem to rush to have a caesarean, which obviously means that the patient has to pay more.
There are other cases also where operations can be avoided. Unnecessary tonsillectomy, operation of a fracture that is stable or removing an appendix when ultrasound facilities are available are all instances of procedures that can in many cases be avoided.
DR RAFIQUE AHMED MIRZA
Karachi
Troops for Iraq
This refers to Ayaz Amir's column 'Who said we were the Philippines?' and a talk show on this gruesome act on a private TV channel featuring Raza Rabbani, Ikram Sehgal and an MMA senator/MNA.
In the talk show Raza Rabbani and the MMA legistator blamed the government for inaction. I may not agree with them fully but I can relate to their viewpoint. Two aspects, however, I found very disturbing.
While Raza Rabbani's condemnation of the brutality was muted, the learned MMA legislator despite direct question by the compere refused to denounce the kidnappers and appeared to suggest that their actions under the circumstances was justified.
Compare their stance with that of the US opposition party, the Democrats, when an American was beheaded. Not only did they condemn the act in no uncertain, terms but supported the government in its stance of not giving in to blackmail.
Now for Ayaz Amir's article. Yes, we are not the Philippines. We did not succumb the enormous American pressure on us and unlike the Philippines have not so far sent even a single soldier to Iraq and have consistently told the Americans that our troop deployment in Iraq can only be considered if our stated conditions are met.
A categorical statement saying that troops to Iraq will never be sent under any circumstances has two serious implications. First, the insistence of our learned leaders of the opposition and writers that a Muslim Pakistan should refuse to help out Muslim Iraq militarily under any circumstances does not sound logical.
To emphasize that our troops should only be dispatched to Iraq when besides the three conditions stated by the government, they come directly under UN command or under the banner of a Muslim army acceptable to the majority of Iraqis, rather than the US command is justified.
If the Pakistani government had included this caveat in its pronouncements - perhaps it might have conveyed this message through back-channel diplomacy - would the kidnappers have spared the lives of the two innocent Pakistanis? I do not have the answer.
Finally, giving in to the demands of kidnappers in the long run is always a losing option. Nations and individuals with strength of character do not succumb to such terror tactics even at the cost of heavy individual sacrifices.
The barbaric actions of the Iraqi kidnappers must be condemned unequivocally and it was gratifying to see that the entire National Assembly acted in unison. Notwithstanding the condemnation and without condoning the acts of barbarism, one needs to comprehend what has driven the group to such acts of desperation.
When an individual or a society is subjected to gross injustices and humiliation, as one writer observed, "Rage turns into conviction. They seem to enter a kind of trance, where the world is divided neatly between good and evil; victims and oppressors."
The Iraqis fighting to rid their land of the American occupiers, the Palestinian suicide bombers and the Kashmir fighters have been pushed to that state by their oppressors. Remove the oppression and terror will subside. The onus lies with the oppressors.
JAMAL HUSSAIN
Karachi
Pedestrian bridges & underpasses
The former West Pakistan government had very ably copied the design of an American university by building the Punjab University New Campus with nearly 10 hostels for boys and girls across the canal, dividing the teaching and residential areas in the late '60s.
Another unique feature of this university was its self- service cafeteria, where the then vice-chancellor Hamid Ahmed Khan used to line up with a tray in hand at the counter to promote this imported culture.
In order to reach the academic block, students had to cross pedestrian bridges at different points on the canal. Now these eight pedestrian bridges have been dismantled and the students are facing problems in reaching the academic block on time.
The Punjab government says that it will build two underpasses in place of the bridges. Until that happens, is the Punjab government going to ask the students to use transport to reach the university?
There is no sense in demolishing pedestrian bridges and building underpasses. Don't our rulers, the supposed servants of the people, have that much common sense?
The other explanation for this hasty dismantling after resorting to lathi-charge and tear-gas shelling on students on - is that some influential contractor is going to be awarded the contract for building the underpasses.
ALI ASHRAF KHAN
Karachi
Rejection of heritage nominations
With reference to the news item "Unesco rejects four Pakistani sites again" (July 20), it should be pointed out that the Department of Archaeology and Museums had submitted the nomination of three sites of the Indus Valley Civilization, namely, Mehargarh, Rehman Dheri and Harappa for their inclusion in the World Heritage List as an extension to the archaeological ruins at Moenjodaro. The proposal of the Ranighat site has not yet been furnished to Unesco but is under process.
The nomination of the three sites was determined by Unesco to be incomplete primarily because of inadequate maps. The department had made every effort to obtain topographic maps but owing to some unavoidable circumstances, these could not be produced on the desired scale.
The requirement is of satellite maps (GIS) of high resolution. Before preparing such maps on the desired scale as required by Unesco, necessary data and information are required in detail. Besides, a number of plans such as management, conservation, monitoring, etc., are also part of the requirements for nomination.
Pakistan's case was examined by Unesco and it has not rejected our case. Instead, it has asked the department to submit a revised file after completion of certain requirements by February 1, 2005. It is expected that the requisite information formalities will be completed by that time and the proposal submitted to Unesco before the deadline.
DR FAZAL DAD KAKAR
Director-General, Department of Archaeology Karachi
India's basic position
Kuldip Nayar, while objecting to Pakistan raising the Kashmir issue at the Saarc foreign ministers conference (Dawn, July 31) observes, "nations, like individuals, look ugly when they break rules".
One should remind him about his selective amnesia of not mentioning the implementation of UN resolutions to which India is a signatory. Prime Minister Nehru gave his word of honour agreeing to a plebiscite. But in 1954, Mr Nehru refused to hold a plebiscite and arrested Sheikh Abdullah. More than 70,000 Kashmiris have died since then demanding implimentation of UN resolutions for self-determination.
Kashmir is a disputed territory and the Line of Control is an artificial line which India is trying to convert into a permanent border since long. Let it become a line of peace. Let the Kashmiris divided by this line meet each other and decide their future.
Mr Nayar's suggestion that "free trade" between India, Pakistan and Bangladesh shall automatically become a substitute to the right of self determination of Kashmiris is not understandable.
Dr A. HAYE SAEED
Karachi
Pakistan performance in Asia Cup
Pakistan did not make it to the finals of the Asia Cup not because of the performance of the team but due to the fault of the team management for not appreciating the implications of the bonus point entitlement to the losing team.
Without going into the merits of the bonus point issue, the fact remains that it was part of the playing conditions and there is no excuse for the management of not being aware of the implications.
From the moment Mohammad Kaif's wicket was claimed, it should have become abundantly clear to the Pakistani team and the management that India was in no position to overhaul the target of 300 set by Pakistan. The match had already been won. We should have switched to a run-saving strategy to deny India the bonus point; instead, we wanted to bowl out the entire team.
Even with this strategy, India just managed the point in the last over. Had Pakistan denied this vital one bonus point to India, the outcome of the India/Sri Lanka match would have not mattered.
If Pakistan, won their last match with Bangladesh with a bonus point, which they were almost certain to do so, things would have been different. India gambled on securing the bonus point and defeating Sri Lanka in the next match for which they were not favourites, to reach the finals.
Pakistan with just one defeat could not play the finals and India managed to move into the finals with two defeats due to proper planning according to the conditions of the tournament. But we must put this behind us. We must have learnt a lesson or two from our failure and should concentrate on the next event. The team needs only two changes (1) Rana Naveed should be replaced with Shahid Afridi.
Afridi is a better player than Rana. (2) Danish Kanaria should be replaced with a middle order in-form batsman, maybe from the "A" team now touring Kenya. Danish will always remain a liability in one-day matches until he either becomes a wicket-taking bowler like Shane Warne or Murli or improves his batting and fielding. I cannot understand why the selectors keep picking him.
My recommended playing eleven in batting order for the next tri nation tournament is - Imran Farhat, Shahid Afridi, Yasser Hameed, Inzamamul Haque, Youhana, Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, Abdul Razzak, Moin Khan, Mohammad Sami, Sohaib Akhtar. This team provides batting depth and an option of six bowlers.
Our three fast bowlers Shoaib, Sami and Shabbir have been guilty of giving the opponents too many extras and their speed has provided for scoring boundaries. Of the three, only two should be played. Batting depth will enable us to post a large total batting first and chase any total batting second.
S.H. KHALID
Karachi
Banking courts' working
This is with reference to a letter by Mr Javed Ahmed Khan with the title "Banking courts' working" (July 26). What the correspondent has said is 100 per cent correct. I am myself employed with a reputable bank which has also filed a case in the banking court.
It is a simple case involving a legal mortgage and despite the passage of over three years, the court has yet to deliver a verdict. If borrowers don't repay their loans, the banks have to suffer a loss and in return they pay a lower profit to their depositors. If the banking courts are unable to take timely decisions, that too in such straightforward cases, then what is the use of having such courts?
MOHAMMED HUSSAIN
Karachi
Planetarium
The news item published in Dawn (August 2) regarding a decision to dismantle the PIA planetarium is indeed upsetting for all those who care for the educational importance of such facilities.
One of the reasons cited for the decision is 'commercial non-viability' of the project and the lack of interest shown by the PIA management in continuing with it. If this line of argument is to be accepted, all government-run educational institutions deserve to be closed down. On the contrary, there is a dire need to have many more such planetaria and other such facilities in a city of over 120 million people.
The continued incurrence of losses by the PIA management is again a bitter pill to swallow and can easily be attributed to the complete lack of a marketing strategy for attracting visitors.
A third party interest in the running and maintenance of the planetarium can certainly take care of the losses that have prompted the PIA management to consider closing it down.
SYED AYAZ MAHMOOD
Karachi
TV licence
This refers to the Dawn report (July 20). The reporter has missed one important detail. What about those who have paid for their licence fees in advance for the next five or ten years? Can the PTV please clarify this point.
YUSUF ALI
Karachi
U-turn
We appear now clearly to have taken a U-turn from the self- defeating, rather self-effacing, policy of "What is good for the goose (India) is definitely bad for the gander (Pakistan) and, therefore, deserves to be shunned". All credit goes to Gen Pervaiz Musharraf.
SYED M. HAMID
Islamabad
'Happy days are here again'
This has reference to Ardeshir Cowasjee's columns (May 30 and June 6) about the industrial plot scam by SITE Ltd. I was delighted to read in Part-II of "Happy days are here again" that Dr Mutawakkil Kazi, Sindh chief secretary, constituted an inquiry on May 29, with a directive to submit a report within seven days.
The seven days of the inquiry committee are over. I would now like to request the chief secretary to make the report public to ensure transparency.
NAZIM F HAJI
Karachi
Increase in CNG and gas charges
The increase in CNG and domestic gas charges is unfair. The increase in domestic gas charges will hit the poor especially hard. Besides, it makes a mockery of the government's claims of improving the environment.
Ever since prices of petroleum began to rise, people have been switching over to CNG for their cars. For this they have had to invest a hefty amount in CNG kits. However, the increase in gas prices announced recently has come as a shock.
I would request the government to withdraw the increase in gas prices. In fact, given the environment-friendly nature of CNG as a fuel, its price should be further lowered.
ANWAR HUSSAIN
Karachi
Surgical gloves duty
This is with reference to the news "100 items exempted from custom duty" in the business section (Dawn, June 30). The government has withdrawn the duty exemption announced in the budget on the import of vaccines for hepatitis B and C, to give protection to local manufacturers.
A zero percent duty has been retained on the import of diagnostic kits for HIV and hepatitis. Other items included in zero percent duty are cosmetics like lipsticks, perfumes and nail polish etc.
However, surgical gloves, an important and essential item for the protection of health personnel, has an import duty of 25 per cent and a sales tax of 15 per cent, making it very expensive.
Instead of given duty exemption to cosmetics, would it not be better to exempt surgical gloves, or at least reduce the duty to five per cent. This will not affect local manufacturers as there is no company manufacturing surgical gloves locally.
DR SYED SHAMIM AHMAD
Karachi
Balloting of papers
Our attention has been drawn to a letter by Mr. N. A. Khan (Dawn, July 31) in which he has expressed his concern with regard to balloting of applications received for the share offering of Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL).
In this connection we would like to confirm that the balloting of the shares is being processed and handled in a highly professional and transparent manner. Additionally, consistent with our professional standard of independence, we issued an office order, dated July 12, whereby every employee of ours was directed that they or their spouse and dependent children shall not apply / subscribe to the shares of PPL.
S. ATAUR REHMAN
Sidat Hyder Morshed Associates (Pvt) Ltd, Karachi
You can also send letters to the Editor
Just send your message to the following address:
Make sure you include your full name, postal address, e-mail address, and in the case of Pakistan your day-time telephone number.