KARACHI, Dec 31 More than 250 women medical officers were given appointment letters by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah at a ceremony held at the CM's House on Wednesday.

The doctors had passed the tests conducted by the National Testing Service in 2007 and subsequently passed by the Sindh Public Service Commission after their interview held some two months back.

Congratulating the SPSC-qualified doctors on their induction in the provincial health services, the chief minister announced a Rs10,000 per month additional allowance with free accommodation for those doctors who were ready to serve at the rural health centres (RHCs) and basic health units (BHUs) in the far flung areas, such as Tharparkar, of the province.Speaking at the ceremony, the chief minister highlighted major problems that, according to him, his government had inherited from the previous governments. He said the health and education departments, despite being some of the most important ones, had been neglected by the past governments.

He pledged to implement the five-point programme spelt out by the late PPP chairperson, Benazir Bhutto, as a mission to ensure the best possible health and education facilities for people, especially the downtrodden.

He observed that poor conditions prevailed at many of the public sector health care facilities in the province, and said the PPP-led government was now spending huge funds to bring about an improvement at all these facilities so that people were not compelled to rush to Karachi from far flung areas of the province for seeking medical treatment.

Mr Shah said that scores of buildings housing RHCs and BHUs had remained occupied by influential figures who had been using them as their “Autaq” (drawing rooms) for years. However, he added, the state properties were retrieved and the health care facilities restored by the government to make them functional again. He urged the young doctors to discharge their services at these centres to ensure provision of health service to the ailing humanity in every nook and corner of the province.

He said he wanted every newly-appointed doctor to serve in the rural areas for at least two-five years.

Earlier, Sindh Health Minister Dr Saghir Ahmad informed the audience that the SPSC had conducted interviews of 1,151 doctors for grade-17-20 vacancies and many of them had already been issued the offer letters. The remaining ones would get the letters soon, he added.

Health Secretary Mohammad Hussain Sayed said that the government had increased the allocation for health sector by 190 per cent — from Rs1,200 million to Rs3,450 million.