June 25, 2008	Wednesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 20, 1429

KARACHI, June 24: Poor state of public sector hospitals in Sindh could be judged by the data presented in the Sindh Assembly on Tuesday which confirms that the healthcare institutions of the province are short of doctors and other facilities.

Responding to a question by Anwar Khan Mahar during question hour, Sindh Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed told the House that the sanctioned strength of doctors at the Government Hospital Bagarji in Sukkur district is 28. However, currently only six doctors are posted there, of whom four are working at other places of the district and their detailing has now been cancelled.

At the Jahan Khan Basic Health Unit in the same district, there are three posts of doctors, three posts of paramedics and five posts of non-medical staff, but the BHU is working without any doctor, except that one medical officer is detailed there, said the minister while replying to another question by the same member.

Ghulam Mohammad Mahar Medical College Sukkur is also short of 47 teachers, as only 62 are working there as against the sanctioned strength of 109, the minister said.

To a question by Dr Moha-mmad Rafique Banbhan about the number of lady doctors at the BHUs in Taluka Faiz Gunj and Mirwah of district Khairpur, the health minister said that there was no sanctioned post of lady doctor at BHU level.

To another question, he said as there was no diagnostic centre for hepatitis A, B, C at BHU, Taluka hospitals and dispensaries in Faiz Gunj and Mirwah, patients are referred to district headquarters hospital Khairpur.

On a question by Arif Mustafa Jatoi, the minister said that no diabetic centre was functioning in Naushehro Feroze.

Responding to a question by Ms Humaira Alwani, the minister said that at the Civil Hospital Makli, 31 posts of doctors are vacant, out of 76 sanctioned posts.

Among the doctors posted at Civil Hospital Thatta, seven are working outside Thatta on deputation.

To a question by Dr Rafique Banbhan, it was stated that the annual budget of each BHU is merely Rs36,000.

The minister said that 924 appointments were made in grade grades-1 to 6 and four on contract basis in grade-17 in the health department during January to December 2007.

Hepatitis cases

Responding to a supplementary question, the minister said that there are around 1.3 million patients of hepatitis B while 1.6 million people are suffering from hepatitis C in Sindh and the Sindh government has earmarked Rs5 billion in the new budget to vaccinate the people against hepatitis.

To a question, the minister said that of the total number of cases of polio reported in the province during Jan 1 to March 31, the minister said that in Sindh three cases of polio were reported during the period. However, till May 19, eight cases of polio were reported in Sindh.—PPI/APP