KARACHI, Dec 21: Senate Chairman Mohammedmian Soomro on Sunday urged philanthropists and community-based organizations to share the responsibilities of the government in providing basic health facilities to the citizens.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the diagnostic centre and modern dispensary at the outpatient department of the Civil Hospital, he said public-private partnership was advancing in various sectors in the country but the health sector needed special attention.

He said the public sector health institutions were facing shortage of resources.

Mr Soomro maintained that although the government had allocated more funds for the health and education sectors, there was a need to enhance those. He said the private sector could play an important role in extension of better health and education facilities to the people.

“Philanthropists and communities should be actively engaged in the running of health institutions for the provision of better services,” he said and urged the communities and non-government organizations to provide financial assistance for the improvement of the sector.

He said the government was giving special attention to solving the problems faced by the citizens of Karachi and President Gen Pervez Musharraf had approved a package for the development of the city.

He said thousands of former Dow Medical College students were serving abroad and the Civil Hospital’s administration and the DMC authorities should seek their help for improving health facilities in Karachi.

“Those doctors will not only be ready to come back and serve at local hospitals but also offer financial and technical assistance,” he said.

He said the doctors should keep in view the miseries of the people living in the rural areas of Sindh.

The chief minister’s advisor on health Noman Saigol said that like other sectors, political intervention was on the rise in the health institutions and whenever an official faced disciplinary action, influential people tried to save him.

He said the provincial government was cooperating with the city government in the provision of health facilities to the people in Karachi.

He urged the local industrialists and traders to provide financial assistance for the provision of modern health facilities at hospitals.

The Senate chairman inaugurated the diagnostic block and modern dispensary, established with financial assistance of a philanthropist Abdul Sami Khan and Zakra Sami Khan. It has been constructed with a cost of Rs3.2 million. He stressed the need for proper utilization of funds given by the government to the departments concerned. — APP/PPI