KARACHI, June 8: The government has decided to promote 8,000 nurses, thus meeting a longstanding demand of the nursing staff. A notification was issued on Thursday in this regard.

This was stated by the Secretary Health, Prof Naushad A Sheikh, while talking to newsmen at the Lyari General Hospital after a crown ceremony was held in his honour by the hospital’s Paramedical Staff Association.

He said that the services structure for the paramedical staff had already been approved and they now would be promoted to higher grades. The decision will benefit some 26,000 paramedics, he said.

Mr Sheikh said that, as a result of his constant efforts, the government had agreed to promote doctors and other senior medical staff to higher grades. Many had been promoted while about 100 to 150 cases were under consideration.

He particularly lauded the role of the governor, chief minister and the health minister in this regard, saying they had taken keen interest for the welfare of medical staff and had always given a positive response to their grievances.

Earlier, speaking at the crown ceremony function largely attended by the LGH doctors, nurses and paramedical staff and senior medical officers of Civic Hospital, Mr Sheikh said the government was providing maximum facilities to the health sector, and it was now the duty of the doctors and paramedics to serve the ailing people.

He particularly lauded the role of the LGH paramedical staff, who he said had initially made the demand for a service structure for paramedics and followed suit by others.

Mr Sheikh assured the audience that efforts would also be made to provide CT scan and other modern facilities in the hospital.

He said funds would be made available for providing vaccination facilities for Hepatitis B for the hospital’s staff of the Lyari General Hospital and added that directives would also be issued to the concerned department to start the repair work of labour room.

The provincial secretary also assured that preference would be given to local people for jobs when the ban on jobs is lifted.

The function was also addressed by the LGH’s Medical Superintendent, Dr (Capt) Mukhtiar Ahmed Khawaja, MS Civil Hospital Kalim Ahmed Butt and office bearers of the Paramedical Staff Association.

They lauded the services of Mr Sheikh in his various capacities for the health sector.

The function ended by putting a crown on the head of Mr Naushad Sheikh by office bearers of the Paramedical Association.

Earlier, he was also presented the traditional Balochi turban. Senior doctors of LGH and Civil hospitals were present in a large number.