KARACHI, July 12: The provincial government is considering taking over the administrative control of the CDGK-run children hospital in North Karachi to upgrade it to a fully-fledged health care facility.

This was stated by Sindh Minister for Planning and Development Syed Shoaib Bukhari while talking to newsmen after inaugurating a diarrhoea ward at the Sindh Government Children Hospital in North Karachi on Thursday.

Mr Bukhari said that the hospital, which had a huge complex and scope for catering to a large number of child patients, could be developed as a child health institute on the pattern of the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) run by the federal government.

The minister said that at present the city government was responsible for the staff salary and provision of medicines to the children hospital but in view of the limited revenue generation of the city government, the Sindh government was contemplating making the hospital more efficient and a centre of excellence in child health care.

Mr Bukhari said that Sindh Health Minister Syed Sardar Ahmed had already started working for the upgrade of the health facility in question.

However, measures would be taken in coordination with the city government, especially for the provision of medical and paramedical staff and equipment, he said.

Earlier, speaking as chief guest at the inaugural ceremony, Mr Bukhari admitted that it was a late realisation that the people of the area, including those from Surjani, New Karachi, North Karachi, North Nazimabad and Federal B Area, needed a self-contained children hospital in their localities.

The minister also inaugurated a new power generator installed at the hospital with the fund provided by MPA Asma Sherwani.

The town nazim, Mumtaz Hameed, assured the medical superintendent of the hospital that the facility would get a water connection within a week.

The medical superintendent, Dr Syed Ali Anjum, said that thanks to the efforts of Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan and Syed Shoaib Bukhari that an almost dormant health facility had been given a new lease of life where around 800 to 1,000 patients were attended to in the OPD on a daily basis, which was a figure on a par with the paediatrics sections of the CHK or NICH.

He said that on average 10 to 12 out of the 100-125 children brought to the hospital with vomiting and diarrhoea complaints were being admitted daily for comprehensive treatment.

According to the MS, the children hospital is also offering tuberculosis treatment to about 70 patients.

He said that a nutrition unit was being maintained where mothers and children were given training on health and hygiene and the role of proper nutrition in children’s lives.