KARACHI, May 10: The District Coordination Officer (DCO), Karachi, Shafiqur Rehman Paracha, on Friday, visited those dispensaries and hospitals which have been made functional after remaining closed for several years due to non-availability of medical and paramedical staff.
The visit was aimed at reviewing the measures to be taken for improving the conditions of these health units for providing better medical facilities by the city district government.
During the visit, the executive district officer (health) informed Mr Paracha that the city government’s health department had made 25 dispensaries functional. Of these, he added, ten had been closed while 15 were functioning partially due to shortage of doctors and other staff as well as non-availability of related facilities.
He said steps had been taken to make these health units functional with the cooperation of Town Nazims and concerned Union Nazims.
Sindh Governor Mohammedmian Soomro had recently issued instructions to maximise working of all the hospitals and dispensaries under the city government with the provision of facilities, wherever these were non-existent.
The EDO (health) informed the DCO that 70 expanded programme for immunization (EPI) centres had also been established in various towns.
The DCO visited the Hijrat Colony dispensary in Saddar Town and witnessed the medical facilities being provided there. He asked the doctors to take maximum care of the patients with the spirit of service.
The DCO said availability of necessary medicines should be ensured so that no inconvenience was caused to the patients. He checked the medical register and went around various sections.
He directed that the EPI section should be made more effective for the benefit of the people. He said record of children who were administered vaccines should be maintained.
The area people appreciated the efforts of UC Nazim Sharif Awan for efficiently running the dispensary. The DCO said community participation was an encouraging aspect in running of the public health units.
He hoped that the congenial working relationship among the city government, town and UC administrations would bring about positive results.
Later, Mr Paracha visited a maternity home in Soldier Bazaar, Jamshed Town, and observed the working of its different sections, including EPI centre, operation theatre and the OPD.
He also chaired a meeting with EDO (health), Town Health Officer and concerned doctors and said that the maternity home would be upgraded to a model hospital with provision of a spacious building, appropriate number of doctors and other facilities.
In this regard, the area councillors and women voluntary organizations would also be involved, he added.
The DCO told the officials of health department that City Nazim Naimatullah Khan had always taken interest in the health and education sectors and had been emphasising the need to make the institutions function effectively so that these facilities could be made available to the people of low and middle income group at their doorsteps. — APP