HYDERABAD, May 2: The adviser to the Sindh chief minister on health, Mr Faisal Gabol, has said he is facing resistance from private hospital owners and doctors in implementation of the new health policy.

Talking to journalists after the inaugural ceremony of a radiologic ward at the Nazeer Hussain Medical Centre in Mir Gardens on Saturday night, he said he would not succumb to any pressure even if the hospital owners resorted to actions like going on a strike.

“There is no check and balance on private hospitals as well as consultants and doctors and they are charging fees at their own will but now these issues will be properly looked into”, he observed.

He said the fees structures of these institutions would be reviewed and would be approved keeping in view the level of facilities they were providing to people. He said the charging of Rs300 to Rs1,000 from patients by consultants was not justified. He said the same was the case with diagnostic centres, including radiological centres and pathological laboratories, which were also required to fix their fees”.

Mr Gabol said health department officials the other day raided the Liaquat National Hospital where sub-standard medicines were being prepared and sold and if registration of an FIR was required against the people involved, it would be done.

Likewise, he said, the cadre of medico-legal officers would also changed and only pathologists would be appointed in the special cadre and they would serve only as MLOs and not as normal MBBS doctors. So far, he further said, the MLOs were not answerable for any negligence except that they were issued show-cause notices but under the new health policy they would be exposed to criminal proceedings for their negligence. “They will now be held accountable properly”, he said.

The adviser maintained that the health department had conducted a survey in the province regarding blood banks. He said that of 482 blood banks, 147 to 152 were meeting required standards. He said the other blood banks had been issued notices. “A summary regarding the Sindh Blood Transfusion Act, 2001, has been lying with the chief minister for quite some time. As soon as the summary is approved, the Act will be implemented”, he said.

He said the policy was being opposed but he would not succumb to any kind of pressure. He ruled out any compromise on the issue.

He said right now no amendments were required in the SBTA but if new things cropped up due to any laxity on party of health officials they would also be looked into.