08 January 2005	Saturday	26 Ziqa'ad 1425

HYDERABAD, Jan 7: The Sindh health department has handed over 4,125 square yards land of the Sir Cowasjee Jehangir Institute of Psychiatry to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan for setting up its regional office , sources said on Friday.

The move has caused resentment among doctors and paramedical staff of the hospital given the fact that CPSP's proposal of getting 2,000 square yards in the Hyderabad civil hospital was rejected by former Sindh chief minister Sardar Ali Mohammad Mahar.

Then EDO health Dr Ashraf Bhurgari, under directives of then health adviser Noman Saigal, had conducted an inquiry and recommended that the CPSP should not be allowed to establish its multi-storey regional office in the civil hospital as it would block the hospital's future expansion plan.

The sources said the CPSP managed to get the plot free of cost allotted to it by the secretary health department. Old residential houses of the staff members are situated in the area that has been allotted to the CPSP under a memorandum of understanding between the Sindh health department and the regional director for construction of its regional office.

Tender work has been completed and the dismantling of old structure of residential quarters is about to take place. A hospital source claimed that while as per the MoU the said plot would not be used for any commercial purpose whatsoever, the CPSP could not be described as a non-commercial organization as it charges thousands of rupees from students of higher medical education for studies and examinations.

The source said the CPSP was a well-established organization financially and it could purchase its own piece of land anywhere in Hyderabad to set up its office. The 496-bed hospital was constructed by Sir Cowasjee Jehangir.

By profession an engineer, Sir Cowasjee had come from Bombay to Hyderabad and was deeply moved when he saw psychiatric patients walking on roads. He was told by some residents that there was no mental hospital in Sindh that's why such people could be seen moving on roads.

The passionate Cowasjee established Sindh's first psychiatric hospital in 1850 which now had become dilapidated. Its compound wall had collapsed and the entire structure needed repair and maintenance.

It may be mentioned that patients suffering from acute and chronic mental disorders are treated here. Prof Hyder Ali G. Kazi, who served in the institute for 33 years as medical superintendent, strongly opposed handing over the hospital's land to privately-run CPSP, saying that it was tantamount to encouraging those forces whose attempts had been foiled by him.

He said the people would now eye for the hospital to present their lucrative offers to the health department. He said instead of giving land to the CPSP, the health secretary should pay attention to genuine problems of the hospital.