KARACHI, Sept 1: The eight dialysis machines procured by the provincial health department at a cost of Rs735,000 each, along with other equipment, in 1996 for the Lyari General Hospital are still lying idle as the department has failed to made them functional.

The fact came to light in a written reply by chief minister Ali Mohammad Mahar to a question raised by MPA Mohammad Rafiq advocate during question hour in the House on Monday. However, the question hour passed off without taking up the issue as much of the time was consumed in discussion on adjournment motion.

According to the CM’s statement, the dialysis unit could not be made functional because of the non-availability of required RO system and soft water, incomplete civil work in the unit and the absence of additional funds to meet its running expenses.

The CM pointed out that directives had already been issued and an initiative taken to make the unit operational. The connection for soft water has been restored, water tanks and pipelines are being repaired, service of the machines has been undertaken, the dialysis ward has been renovated, electrical appliances have been brought in order, lab has been updated and the required RO system has been made available. He said that trained staff had also been there and that as soon as the RO system was installed, the dialysis unit would start functioning, in a fortnight.

Replying to a question by the same MPA, the House was informed that for the procurement of medicines, the hospital had been allocated a sum of Rs5.8367 million in 1999-2000 and further Rs12 million each in 2000-2001 and 2001-2002. Out of the amounts, 75 per cent procurement was made by the health department and the rest by the hospital’s purchase committee.

In response to MPA Irfan Ali Shah’s question, it was acknowledged that Rs10 million had been provided for an intensive care unit at the Civil Hospital Mirpurkhas two years ago but the unit could not be set up for want of a suitable building.—PPI