January 5, 2006	Thursday	Zilhaj 4, 1426

KARACHI, Jan 4: The Provincial Health Minister, Shabbir Ahmed Qaimkhani, on Wednesday directed the management of the Sindh Government Hospital Korangi to issue show-cause notices to 16 doctors and 12 paramedical staffers for being absent from duty.

The minister was on a surprise visit to the hospital when he checked the attendance register and found the doctors missing from duty. Nazim Korangi Town Arif Khan Advocate also accompanied the minister.

He also checked the stock registers of medicines and other medical supplies. He visited the surgical, medical, children, orthopaedics and ENT wards besides the surgery, gynaecology and general OPDs.

The minister expressed his dissatisfaction over the quality of food supplied to patients and the sanitary conditions in the hospital, and directed the Medical Superintendent, Dr Tariq Ahsan, to improve them immediately.

He was also displeased at the situation in the operation theatre, emergency ward and recovery room and issued directives for improvement.—APP