KARACHI: Accountability cells to be set up at federal govt hospitals
KARACHI, June 30: Taking note of the complaints about the quality of services and alleged inapt behaviour of the hospitals' staff towards patients, the federal health ministry has ordered constitution of “accountability cells” in all its health care facilities to ascertain facts and take required action in this regard.
This was stated by the Federal Health Minister Mohammad Naseer Ahmed prior to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Disease (NICVD) Governing Body's meeting here on Thursday.
Such accountability bodies had already been established at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS - Islamabad), he said adding that the government was committed to provide quality health care to the people.
The federal minister observed that complaints along with suggestions forwarded by the patients as well as people visiting the health facilities would prove to be a source of guidance to bring about changes in accordance to the actual needs.
This, he further said was extremely essential for making judicious use of massive investments being made by the government in the health sector and the government medical facilities.
The minister, in this regard mentioned that the federal government had allocated Rs11.8 billion in the health sector for the fiscal 2006-07 as compared to Rs9.5 billion in 2005-06.
“Apart from the annual health budget worth Rs11.8 billion we have also earmarked Rs2.57 billion for hepatitis prevention programme and another Rs2.75 billion for blindness eradication during 2006- 07,” the federal health minister said.
With regards to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), he said allocation for its running expenditures had been raised from Rs150 million to Rs240 million during 2006-07.
Appreciating the leadership qualities of NICVD Director Prof Azhar Masood Farooqui, the federal minister said that an additional amount of Rs600 million was being approved for NICVD for refurbishment of the facility and replenishment of its equipment.Answering a question, Prof Azhar Masood Farooqui said that half a million people were attended only at the out-patient department of the NICVD, while another 100,000 were provided the required medical support at its emergency unit annually - 100,000 is the annual load of in-patients.“NICVD shares an annual turn out of 700,000 patients which is the highest around the world,” the NICVD director said.
The federal minister assured all-out support for the proposed heart house in Karachi, forwarded through the platform of the Pakistan Cardiology Society and approved by the prime minister.
At the end of the meeting, he said a special package for paediatric surgery would be created at the NICVD and PIMS. He approved constitution of a committee headed by Prof Azhar Farooqui, to hire and train human resources to help optimum functioning of paediatric cardiac surgery at the NICVD.—APP
