KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Wednesday that he was striving hard to provide access to quality healthcare to all people, particularly the marginalised and disadvantaged population.

He said that the task represented a big challenge for his government since one in 10 children did not survive till their fifth birthday, roughly one in 89 women die of maternal causes, 45 per cent of children under five are stunted while 20pc live more than 10 kilometres from a basic health facility and 46pc live more than 10km from a rural health centre.

The chief minister said this at the inauguration ceremony of a hospital established under the public-private partnership (PPP) with a non-governmental organisation, HANDS, in Memon Goth, Malir.

The hospital was established about 22 years ago by then CM Syed Abdullah Shah, the late father of the incumbent CM, as a rural health centre and its upgrade scheme was also approved about 12 years ago as a 50-bed hospital, but only its outpatient department was working during the said period.

But the hospital became a success story after the NGO, under the leadership of Dr Ghaffar Billo, took control of the hospital under the public-private partnership.

The CM said that the Sindh government had started a PPP unit in the finance department to start different projects with the private sector. “This partnership is not meant for making money or earning profits but this is for best service delivery system to the people of the province and [to] enhance the working capacity and performance of the government,” he said.

Mr Shah said that his government was striving hard to improve health facilities by outsourcing management of primary healthcare facilities. “The Sindh government and HANDS have joined hands through public private partnership to run 38 health facilities, including two Sindh government hospitals, 100 beds and 50 beds, respectively, two rural centres and 14 dispensaries,” he said, adding that a letter to hand over administration of the hospitals to HANDS had been issued on Nov 1, 2016.

“HANDS, just after taking over 38 health facilities in Malir, conducted a survey and found that the overall attendance of the doctors and other staff was 36.6 per cent against the 568 filled positions,” he said, adding that there did not exist neonatal or operation theatre facilities in these health centres while only eight health facilities had power connection, six had piped water supply, two had gas connections, one had a telephone line, one facility had a generator, nearly half of the facilities did not have boundary wall.

He recalled his special affection with the district of Malir as it was created by former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. “Our government would provide you all the facilities, including roads, good educational institutions, health facilities, water supply; you have to promise to look after all the institutions being provided to you for the care of your families.”

Dr Billo briefed the chief minister about the efforts he and his organisation was making for the provision of best health facilities to the people of Malir.

Health Minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro also addressed the gathering and promised to support HANDS.

He also announced to construct a two-lane road from Malir 15 up to Superhighway, connecting all villages of the area.

“On your [people of the area] demand I am also announcing a major water supply scheme,” he said, adding that it was up to the Local Government Minister Jam Khan Shoro, MPAs Sajid Jokhio and Murtaza Baloch to prepare the scheme and start work.

36-bed hospital in Asoo Goth inaugurated

Earlier, the CM also inaugurated a 36-bed hospital at Asoo Goth, which was upgraded as a general hospital with different wards like burns, gynaecology and others at a cost of Rs80m.

The chief minister also visited senior PPP leader Jam Bijjar to inquire about his health.

He also visited the under-construction Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Rehabilitation Centre for Burns and Rape Survivors at Dumba Goth.

He said that the centre would be a state-of-the-art health facility established on the edge of the motorway and close to more than 50 villages located on both sides of the Superhighway.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2017

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