KARACHI: The Sindh government has transferred foreign exchange equivalent to around Rs30 million to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Centre, Ohio, US, required to treat a class VIII student of Cadet College Larkana, who was allegedly tortured at the institution in August last year, officials said.

A special medical board, formed by the Sindh health ministry to assess the child’s health condition, said the boy’s cartilage was damaged and could only be operated upon in the US.

Officials in the Sindh government said all the required formalities including the foreign government’s approval and provincial finance ministry’s request to the departments concerned for release of cash foreign exchange to the extent of Rs29.631m under ‘invisible’ current expenditure in favour of the Sindh health ministry had been made.

The visas of Mohammad Ahmed Hussain, 13, the student, and his father Rashid Mashori had been acquired. Besides, a provincial government representative would accompany them to take care of other unforeseen expenditure during the treatment, said an official.

They said the Cincinnati hospital had acknowledged the issue with the child’s father and would send a schedule of treatment after which they could depart for the US.

Published in Dawn January 18th, 2017