KARACHI: Minister dissatisfied with CHK performance
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Oct 17: Sindh Minister for Health Syed Sardar Ahmad has expressed his utter dissatisfaction over the state of the affairs at the Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK), observing that the government is getting no proper return on its heavy spending on the hospital, according to a source privy to a meeting of the CHK board of governors held here on Wednesday under the chairmanship of the minister.
“Unless the board, the doctors and other staff of the hospital perform efficiently, patients will continue to suffer,” he remarked.
The meeting, attended by BoG chairman Abu Shamim Arif, Vice-Chancellor of the Dow University of Health Sciences Prof Masood Hameed Khan, Health Secretary Malik Asrar, CHK Medical Superintendent Dr Kaleem Butt and other officials, also reviewed the administrative and clinical affairs of the hospital.
Mr Ahmad asked BoG members to undertake visits of different wards of the hospital on a regular basis and ensure best services to patients.
He told Prof Masood to look into the complaints of non-availability of senior faculty members at the OPDs.
Referring to the reports that the CHK administration was considering over involving some individuals or groups from outside the hospital to manage some of its services or establish some facilities at the hospital, the minister said the government believed that it was the BoG which alone should undertake the responsibility of the day to day affairs of the hospital.
“The government will not allow any outsider to intervene or play a role in the handling of administrative affairs, running hospital services or signing memorandums of understanding” he categorically stated.
The minister approved a proposal in principle for a third-party evaluation of five development projects undertaken at the CHK during the recent years. On the other hand, he also asked the officials concerned to submit to him a report on the expenses incurred on the construction of 106 bathrooms and the laying of a sewerage system at the hospital.
He also told the BoG to make sure that the gynaecology ward was not moved to make room for an ICU. He said the ward must continue to cater to the medical needs of mother and child with improved facilities. He said that the planned ICU should be established on the ground floor of the hospital.
