KARACHI, May 28: Abdul Sattar Edhi has announced that the US-based Bilquis Edhi Foundation would donate $100,000 for the establishment of a diabetic centre in the Lyari General Hospital (LGH). Speaking as the guest of honour at the inaugural session of the first scientific symposium of the LGH on Saturday, he said health care was an integral part of the Edhi Trust activities. The organization, he pointed out, actively supported different public sector institutions in serving the ailing people.

He said the Trust had already established a hospital at a cost of Rs6 million in Moosa Lane area of Lyari Town. He said that the operation theatres being construction as a part of the conceived O.T. Complex at the Civil Hospital Karachi were also being funded by the Trust.

Adviser to the CM on Health Faisal Malik, chief guest at the seminar, said that the Lyari General Hospital would be given its due status of being a full-fledged hospital with the provision of all basic health care and training facilities.

In this regard, he said, the already available facilities would be upgraded and effective measures would be taken to ensure that public funds and utilities were not misused. He said that launching of new projects and the process of upgrading existing facilities should go together.

He impressed upon all medical superintendents of government hospitals and in-charges of medical facilities to ensure maintenance of hygienic conditions within their respective institutions.

Mr Malik warned that action would be taken against those employees who were not observing duty timings and rules. He said he would pay surprise visits to check such violations.

LGH Medical Superintendent Dr Akber Haider Soomro gave a brief account of of the services and facilities offered by the hospital and highlighted the problems in delivering the same.

He informed the audience that the College of Surgeons and Physicians (CPSP) had recently recognized different teaching units of the hospital. He said that measures were being taken to ensure presence of one professor, one associate professor and two assistant professors in each of the LGH teaching units.