KARACHI: Caretaker Chief Minister Sindh Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar in meeting of Health Department expressed his displeasure on poor functioning of most of government hospitals/health facilities where neither attendance of staff members has been ensured nor labs and operation theatres were working properly.

"During my visits to government hospitals right from Karachi to Sehwan and up to Sukkur found them total mess where male and female patients were kept without segregation into emergency wards and most of staff members were absent when checked attendance registers," he said and added patients were receiving medicines from hospitals' pharmacies.

Minister Law Omer Soomro, Chief Secretary Dr Fakhre Alam, Secretary Finance Kazim Jatoi, Secretary Health Dr Mansoor, Vice Chancellor JSMC Dr Amjad Siraj, Executive Director JPMC Prof Shahid Rasool, Prof Dr Anwar of SIUT and other concerned. 

Justice (retd) Baqar said that provincial government has allocated handsome amount of Rs 234.29 billion for Health depart for year 2023-24, out of which Rs 53.17 billion has been earmarked for operational expenditures. "Are we using budget in public interest properly by repairing and maintaining equipment," he questioned and deplored that ambulances were not working, operation theatres had been neglected, medicines were not given to patients and patients were being referred to private labs instead of conducting their tests indoor," he said.

He expressed his displeasure that Health Department despite his clear instructions its officers were not conducting inspections of health facilities. "You have DG Health, Directors, DHOs and even directorate of inspection but even then no inspection has been made so far," he told Secretary Health. He directed Secretary Health to improve inspection system and keep posting inspection reports.

Caretaker CM performed rank wearing ceremony for newly promoted police officers from ASP BS-17 to SP BS-18 at CM House. Caretaker Home Minister Brigadier (retd) Haris Nawaz, IG Police Riffat Mukhtar and DIG Pir Muhammad Shah were present.

Officers who were decorated with new ranks of SP include Ahmad Faisal Chaudhry, Ayaz Hussain, Zafar Siddiqui, Aleena Rajpar and Mirza Bilal Hassan.

CM urged newly inducted ASP through competitive examination, CSS-2021 to work honestly and with dedication so that they could excel in their career.

Published in The Daily National Courier, November, 09 2023

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