KARACHI, Feb 14: The Sindh police have signed a memorandum of understanding with four major hospitals of the province to provide health cover to the 100,000-strong police force, it is learnt.

The welfare department of police has signed the MoU with the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Pakistan Navy's Shifa hospital, the Combined Military Hospital in Hyderabad and the CMH at Pano Aqil.

After a formal agreement, the policemen may avail treatment facilities at the respective hospitals after obtaining a referral letter from the medical superintendent of the police hospital.

Besides, if a certain facility is found lacking in these hospitals, facilities of other hospitals such as the Aga Khan University Hospital and the Liaquat National Hospital could also be availed for the patient, DIG (Headquarters) Ghulam Nabi Memon said.

At present, the police personnel are entitled to receiving treatment at these health facilities, but at a later stage their family members would also be brought under the health cover, the principal staff officer of the IG (Sindh) explained.

At present, different mechanisms and plans are under consideration to generate further funds so that families of the policemen could also be brought under the health cover, the officer said.

Similarly, there is already an understanding with the Edhi Foundation for extending its air ambulance service when needed to fly injured policemen to Karachi for treatment from the interior of Sindh, the officer said.

The police hospital at the Garden Police Headquarters has recently been commissioned after its renovation costing Rs50 million, generated through donations.

The PC-1 has been prepared for setting up a trauma centre at the police hospital, and Rs30 million for the project has also been allocated. The trauma centre project is in the tendering phase, the official said.

To inform the entire constabulary about the health facilities being arranged for them at the respective hospitals, a awareness campaign has been launched across the province, AIG (Welfare and Finance) Ali Sher Jakhrani said.

“We have ensured that at each and every police station across the province posters elaborating the health cover arrangements worked out for the police force would be displayed so that personnel could avail of the facility when needed,” said the AIG.

The entire database of the Sindh police personal has been set up at the Police Hospital Karachi, which is utilised for verification of the patients, he added.