KARACHI, May 5: During a surprise visit to the Civil Hospital Karachi, Sindh chief minister’s adviser for health, M. Noman Saigal, was appalled to see heaps of garbage in and around the lady doctors’ mess.

Mr Saigal ordered immediate removal of the waste lying here for years.

The advisor stayed in the hospital for more than four hours and inspected many departments.

When asked to comment on what he had observed during his inspection, he said there was room for an improvement in some areas. “However, there are some areas in which the hospital’s performance seems to be good,” said Saigal.

Answering a journalist’s question, the new adviser said he would try to streamline the procedures involved in the purchase and distribution of medicine through the government-run healthcare centres.

Saigal said the health department should aim to bring quality medical care to the underprivileged. He said he had specifically visited the hospital to see for his own eyes how Mr and Mrs Average were treated.

He was of the opinion that every organization, be it private or public, should have health insurance policy for each employee.

In response to a question, the adviser said the province didn’t need new buildings for hospitals.

“No more investment in this area until and unless all the existing buildings are utilized properly.”

He agreed that erecting new buildings in a period of ban on recruitments was wrong.

Saigal asked the medical superintendent of Civil Hospital to forward to him a list of employees, complete with photographs. He said he would try to remove the problems hampering the smooth functioning of the hospital.

He added that though he was a Muttahida worker, he belonged to the Punjab. “I am perhaps the only worker of my party who belongs to the Punjab.”