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| November 19, 2008 | Wednesday | Ziqa'ad 20, 1429 |
HYDERABAD: Influx of refugees adds to polio cases: minister
HYDERABAD, Nov 18: The influx of refugees from Afghanistan and northern parts of Pakistan is behind the rise in polio cases in Sindh because of the reported reluctance of Taliban against its vaccination, said Sindh Minister Health Dr Saghir Ahmed on Tuesday.
He was addressing a news conference in the office of Medical Superintendent Liaquat University Hospital after inaugurating the renovated Casualty Department.
He said that an inter-provincial conference of provincial health ministers and officials agreed that refuges coming from the two places were carrier of polio virus for they travelled through the length and breadth of the country. He said that although the number of polio cases remained static in India and Afghanistan yet these get transmitted to Pakistan.
The wave of Talibanisation in northern region is forcing people to flee to Sindh and find a domain in Pushtoon speaking localities of Karachi.
Even Taliban in areas like Site and Jalalabad in Karachi don’t allow polio vigilance teams to visit these localities, he said adding that the DNA tests have proved Kandhar-origin-cases in Sindh and Sheikhupura.
He discussed in detail the CM’s initiative which would go a long way in curbing the prevalence of disease in Sindh.
He said that the government was responsive to health issues in Sindh for which it was upgrading taluka and district level hospitals and also improvements in facilities at basic health units.
The minister was quick in responding to concerns shown by the medical fraternity over growing incidents of violence by the attendants of hospital patients. He said that the issue was discussed with the DG Rangers on plans to permanently deploy Rangers in the hospital for the protection of medical staff.
“Our health system needs to be revised as the gap between doctor and patient ratio was expanding fast.” He praised chief minister for ordering appointment of those candidates who had passed the national testing services (NTS) examinations
Regarding shortage of female doctors, he said that they would be recruited under the People’s Private Health Initiative. He said that the Ghulam Mohammad Mahar College Sukkur would soon be recognised by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), once the requirements were met.
Sindh governor had been requested to ensure close coordination between the professors and doctors of tertiary hospitals. “I seek a code of conduct for faculty members who serve in teaching hospitals”, he said.
He said that inspectors were directed to check medical stores in the vicinity of hospitals for selling spurious or substandard drugs along with submitting weekly reports.
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