KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday issued show-cause notices to the local government secretary and the chairman of a task force constituted to help the local administration with detention and control of stray dogs for not setting up a helpline for dog-bite incidents.

The two-judge bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar also sought a roadmap with a proper timeline for implementation of the ‘Rabies control programme Sindh’ after it was informed that the chief minister had approved the summary for the execution of the scheme with a cost of Rs963.316 million.

The bench directed the health secretary to look into the inquiry report of a six-year-old child’s death after being brutally mauled by half-a-dozen dogs in Larkana in December and also sought a report from the additional secretary for health after the bench was informed that around 400 cases of dog-bite had been reported in Umerkot.

When the petition about the rise in dog-bite incidents in the province and shortage of anti-rabies vaccines at government-run hospitals came up before the bench, Local Government Secretary Roshan Ali Sheikh submitted that the chief minister had approved a summary and the administrative approval had also been accorded for the execution of the scheme.

He contended that funds would be released within three days and all formalities would also be completed soon.

Court irked by SHCC negligence that led to amputation of a boy’s arm

The bench observed that orders had been issued on earlier hearings to set up a helpline about stray dogs for the public, but the same had not been complied with.

The LG secretary claimed that an advertisement had been published in the newspapers. However, the bench observed that directives were issued to establish a helpline especially for dangerous stray dogs, but various other issues were included in the advertisement, which killed the main purpose of the public message.

The LG secretary also admitted that despite court orders, the public awareness messages had not been issued to the electronic media to broadcast the same.

The bench issued show-cause notices to the LG secretary and chairman of the task force Chiraghuddin Hingoro and directed them to explain as to why the helpline had not been created despite repeated directions.

Ayesha Chundrigar, a member of the task force, informed the bench that various practicable proposals were suggested, but the task force had not accepted them and, therefore, she had decided to resign.

When the bench asked her about the proposals, she sought time to file them before the court.

The petitioner, Tariq Mansoor, contended that 47 dog-bite cases were reported on Feb 8 whereas around 400 such incidents had taken place in Umerkot, adding that there was an acute shortage of vaccines.

The bench directed the LG secretary and the task force chairman to inquire into the matter and submit a report by next hearing.

It also directed the additional secretary for health to collect information from Umerkot about dog-bite incidents and also submit an inventory of anti-rabies vaccines in the 29 hospitals of Sindh.

Amputation of boy’s arm

The same bench on Tuesday expressed resentment over the Sindh Health Care Commission (SHCC) for not inspecting a private hospital as its alleged negligence led to the amputation of an arm of a 13-year-old boy.

The bench said that as per the SHCC, a fine of Rs500,000 had been imposed on the Razia Medical Centre in Landhi and on Oct 31; it had also granted two months to the health facility to improve its clinical, administrative and environmental observations.

However, the bench noted that substantial time had already lapsed, but the SHCC never reverted to the hospital for inspection to find out deficiencies.

An official of the SHCC undertook to inspect the hospital on March 4 and file a report on March 26. The bench directed him that if any deficiency was found action be taken in accordance with the law.

Earlier, a medical board, which examined the victim, had suggested that the boy might be referred to the Institute of Physical and Medical Rehabilitation, Dow University of Health Sciences, for the provision of the limb.

On Tuesday, the bench was informed that Hamza and his parents had already visited the same and an artificial limb would be made and provided to the boy within three months.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2020