KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Thursday directed the Sindh Health Care Commission (SHCC) to file a fresh report identifying the actions being taken against the healthcare establishments violating the law till Oct 13.

The petition was filed last year seeking action against unlicensed and unqualified healthcare establishments in the province. The petitioners had contended that several patients, including nine-month-old girl Nishwa, had died due to alleged medical negligence on the part of private healthcare institutions and these medical practitioners continued risking many more lives as there was no proper system of check and balance.

When the petition came up for hearing before the two-judge bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar on Thursday, an additional advocate general informed the bench that two progress reports have already been filed by SHCC.

The bench directed the lawyer for the petitioners to go through both reports and identify such areas in which further attention was required for the implementation of the law.

The acting chief executive officer of SHCC Farhana Memon contended that they were receiving complaints against the healthcare establishments on a daily basis and investigating the same and fines were being imposed.

She further maintained that licenses were being issued and action against quacks was also under way.

The bench directed the acting CEO to submit a fresh progress report on the next hearing identifying the actions being taken by SHCC against different healthcare establishments violating the law.

The petitioners had also contended that despite the lapse of several years the SHCC was not working properly and had the commission’s powers been put to use, society would not have experienced such incidents of medical malpractice.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2020