KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah approved a major health improvement plan (2025-2029) for the province aimed at expanding community outreach, strengthening routine immunisation, and enhancing governance in the province’s healthcare sector.

During a high-level meeting at the CM House, the chief minister reviewed the key performance indicators of the health department and set ambitious targets to ensure universal access to quality and affordable health services, particularly for women and children.

The attendees included health minister Dr Azra Fazal, chief secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Ombudsman of Sindh Sohail Rajput, PSCM Agha Wasif, chairman of planning & development Najam Shah, secretary of finance Fayaz Jatoi, secretary of health Rehan Baloch and secretary of population Hafiz Abbasi.

The officials discussed several interventions and approved projects including the much-awaited construction of two medical and surgical towers at Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK), a major tertiary care hospital in the province.

CM approves large-scale repair project covering primary, secondary and tertiary hospitals

Sources said the expansion of the hospital housed in a century old structure was long overdue.

The hospital hadn’t seen any major up-gradation for a decade, though there had been a drastic increase in patients’ number.

Currently, sources said, 7,000-8,000 patients and 1,600-2,000 patients reported at its outpatient department and the emergency department daily. Massive land encroachment around the hospital, they said, had not only restricted patient access to the facility but also hampered plans for its up-gradation.

Sources said the paper work for the towers’ project, likely to cost between Rs15bn to Rs20bn, had been completed.

Expanding community outreach

During the meeting, officials shared that Sindh’s current routine immunisation coverage stands at 69 per cent.

To achieve a target of 95 per cent, the government decided to recruit 5,500 lady health workers and community health workers by 2025-26.

Additionally, 3,500 vaccinators and technical staff, such as cold chain engineers and software engineers, will be recruited.

The chief minister approved the establishment of 11 additional nutrition stabilization centres and 714 new outpatient therapeutic programme sites by 2025-26.

This initiative aims to treat 1.24 million malnourished children under five years old.

Nutrition services will include ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), F-75, and F-100 supplements, with operational support extended to 17 stabilisation centres.

The prevention strategy will include deworming, iron and folic acid supplementation, and breastfeeding counselling for mothers and adolescent girls.

Over the next 30 months, 1,440 awareness sessions will be conducted, with 360 targeted for the 2025-26 period.

To address the rising cases of diabetes, hypertension, and other non-communicable diseases, the chief minister decided that screening units would be set up at secondary-level health facilities. Early detection services will be expanded to basic health units, aiming to screen 350 facilities in 2025-26.

A robust monitoring and evaluation system will be implemented, increasing health facility visits to 48,000 annually.

A live dashboard will be established in 40 districts for real-time data tracking.

The rollout of the Health Management Information System will enhance data-driven decision-making, with 900 IT devices procured for timely reporting.

The chief minister approved a large-scale maintenance and repair project covering tertiary, secondary, and primary-level hospitals.

Over 109 tertiary hospitals, 91 secondary hospitals, and 572 primary health units will be rehabilitated, with 122 primary facilities scheduled for 2025-26.

Nursing professionals

To address the shortage of nursing professionals, the chief minister approved the introduction of evening shifts in 20 nursing colleges, creating 443 new teaching and non-teaching positions. A stipend programme for 1,125 BS nursing students was also approved.

Infrastructure development will include the establishment of 10 new science labs, rehabilitation of 10 nursing colleges, and procurement of 20 vehicles for student mobility and community outreach programs.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2025