KARACHI, Feb 23: Sindh Health Minister Shabbir Ahmed Qaimkhani on Thursday inaugurated the installation of a modern laser machine for eye operations at the Sindh Government Qatar Hospital.
The machine worth Rs 1.8 million has been given to the hospital by an Australian NGO, Fredhollows Foundation.
Speaking on the occasion, Shabbir Qaimkhani asked the doctors to serve the ailing humanity with honesty and change the impression in the minds of people about government hospitals.
He observed that condition of a number of government hospitals has improved under private-public partnership. In this regard, he referred to the urology ward of Prof Dr Adeeb Rizvi at Civil Hospital and said this way all the government hospitals can be developed.
The minister said that there was a shortage of lady doctors in the interior of Sindh as a result of which female patients were facing problems.
He said that when doctors are transferred to the interior on the basis of their domicile, a spate of recommendations starts pouring in. He said that people living there do need doctors and better medical facilities.
Mr Qaimkhani said after serving for eight years, the doctors are promoted to Grade 18 to 19 and transferred then to interior of Sindh. Still, after getting promotions, they are not prepared to serve there.
He stated that a trauma centre would be set up at the Institute of Health Sciences, Gambat.
Shabbir Qaimkhani declared that a big crackdown would be launched against fake doctors who, he said, are playing with the lives of people and becoming a source for spread of HIV, AIDS, TB and Hepatitus.
He assured to solve the problems of Qatar Hospital and said he would talk to the governor and the chief minister for its upgradation as a teaching hospital besides establishment of a school of nursing.
Earlier, Dr Jamil Burney, in charge department of Ophthalmology, Qatar Hospital, briefed the minister about the new laser machine and said that now all kinds of eye operations could be performed here.
The ceremony was also addressed by MPA Iqbal Qadri, MS Surgeon Saif, Deputy MS Dr Jamiluddin, EDO Health Dr Khalid Hussain Shaikh, Additional Secretary Health.—APP
