SUKKUR: Sindh Minister for Health Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho on Friday paid a surprise visit to the Jacobabad Civil Hospital causing panic among most doctors, paramedics and other employees as a number of them were found away from their seats/sections.

Accompanying by former federal health minister Mir Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani (who is the divisional president of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party), Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MPA Mohammed Aslam Abro and PPP’s Mir Rehmatullah Khoso, Dr Pechuho went round various sections, departments and wards at the hospital and expressed her resentment over the unhygienic conditions prevailing everywhere.

She appeared particularly annoyed over the absence of the hospital’s medical superintendent during her visit.

The minister expressed her displeasure over the stench that filled the atmosphere of the women patients’ ward.

She found only a couple of patients admitted to the hospital. “It seems that nothing from the millions of funds being released for ensuring hygienic conditions at the hospital is spent ... do these funds go waste? ... the hospital seems to be non-functional. ...” she remarked.

“Why this hospital [should not] be converted to an educational institution and the entire staff [laid off]?”

She rebuked the administrative staff and left a strong warning for those who were found absent, and proceeded to the Nursing College and MCH Hospital.

Earlier, Dr Pechuho visited the Jacobabad Institute of Medical Sciences (JIMS) Hospital and went round different wards to inquire about the well-being of patients and ascertain their grievances regarding medical treatment and facilities available there.

She asked the patients if they were receiving free-of-cost medicines provided by the provincial government.

The minister also inspected the operating theatre.

During her meeting with the JIMS management, PTI lawmaker Aslam Abro complained that spurious/substandard medicines were being supplied to the hospital for free-of-cost delivery to patients.

Measures to control deaths in Thar

Speaking at a press conference at Jakhrani House in Jacobabad, the health minister expressed her concern over unabated deaths of children, expecting mothers and other people due to malnutrition, drought-related causes and health issues over the past decades. She stressed proper awareness be created in the local population and said this would help control the situation.

She said couples should be educated about the merits of population planning and the relevant programme would be implemented in an effective manner. Mothers should especially be educated about gap in every two births under the programme so as to ensure success, she said.

She told reporters that in order to control diseases among the local population, the immunisation programme would be launched. Monitoring teams would be formed with the task of ensuring that people had easy access to healthcare facilities in every nook and corner of the district.

She said the provincial government was paying special attention to anti-polio campaigns, and noted that no new polio case had been reported from any part of the province so far this year.

Regarding healthcare facilities at government hospitals, Dr Pechuho said that the system would be improved within the next 18 months to ensure best possible medical facilities to patients.

“No patient would have to be taken to a private hospital for better treatment once the healthcare system is improved,” she stated.

The minister said that biometric system would be enforced at all government health facilities to ensure attendance and punctuality of doctors, paramedics and other employees. Strict action would be taken against negligent ones and those resisting the biometric system, she added.

She observed that JIMS was a good hospital but 50 per cent of its staff appeared to be “outsiders” owing to a shortage.

The emergency section could not be started at the hospital for the same reason, she said, adding that commission-pass doctors would be posted at the hospital soon.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2018