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THATTA, April 4: Provincial Health Secretary Dr Naushad Ahmed Shaikh has suggested withdrawal of health budget from the district government and its direct disbursement to the 69 health facilities of Thatta district to minimise problems of patients.
He said that besides Civil Hospital Makli, nine taluka hospitals and other health facilities of the district would soon be provided with specialists, so as the urban and rural population could avail maximum health facilities.
Talking to newsmen during his visit to Makli Civil Hospital and the newly-established diagnostic centre on Wednesday, he said the provincial government has approved Rs 1 billion for provision of medicine, surgical equipments and other sophisticated machinery for the hospitals in the province.
On the complaint of EDO Health, Dr Dawood Hillayo and Civil Surgeon of Civil Hospital Makli, Syed Lal Mir Shah Shirazi, that the district government has released only 30 per cent of the total budget meant for procurement of medicines for the health facilities, Mr Shaikh said the district government should timely release the approved amount so that the poor and needy patients should not suffer.
On queries from patients present at the diagnostic centre, the secretary expressed displeasure over fees charged from the patients and directed the civil surgeon not to charge fee to the injured in accident cases as well as poor patients and asked the management to foot the bill in such cases.
He expected no major improvement in health department in the presence of corruption and ill practices.
He said the extension of financial assistance from the donor agencies the department was gradually yielding positive results adding that health department has entrusted the management of 550 health centres and rural health centres to these donor agencies.Taking notice of two medical stores operating within the premises of the hospital, he constituted a two-member enquiry team comprising EDO's of health from Karachi to furnish him a report.
POLICEMEN BOOKED: An FIR has been registered against a former SHO of the Thatta Police Station, Allah Dino Shaikh and other police personnel on the directives of district and sessions court Thatta here on Wednesday.
As per the contents of FIR lodged at the Thatta police station by the sitting SHO Agha Salahuddin on behalf of state under section 342 PPC, these police officials wrongfully confined and maltreated Allah Warayo, Akram, Rasheed and Ramzan Magsi, all residents of Lal Mohammad Magsi village. After registration of FIR, the nominated accused have gone into hiding.
HUNGER STRIKE: Activists of All-Pakistan Paramedical Staff Association staged a token hunger strike outside the Hyderabad press club against what they called illegal and politically motivated appointments in Liaquat University Hospital.
