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Health dept given till end of next week to ensure supply of medicines at public hospitals

By our correspondents
September 26, 2017

Underprivileged patients at public hospitals of Sindh are suffering because of a shortage of medicines as the purchase of drugs and other medical supplies has not yet been completed by the health department, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah lamented on Monday as he issued orders to health officials to ensure supply of medicines to all government hospitals by the end of next week.

The supply of medicines should be a top priority, Murad said while presiding over a meeting of the health department at the CM House. The meeting was attended by health minister Dr Sikandar Mendhro, health secretary Fazal Pechuho, principal secretary to CM Sohail Rajput, finance secretary Hassan Naqvi and others.

The chief minister deplored that hospitals were facing a shortage of medicines and patients were suffering due to non-provision of medicines. The health secretary said the relevant purchase committee had ceased to exist as some of the senior members had resigned due to their personal engagements and the others had gone out of the country.

The chief minister directed him to initiate a legal procedure and complete the purchase of the medicine. He also sought a report in this regard within a week. It may be noted that the overall operational budget of hospitals in Sindh in Rs18 billion while around Rs6.5 billion is reserved for medicines.

The chief minister said he had installed boards in all hospitals urging patients to get medicines from the hospital store without paying any money. “A lot remains to be done for provision of medical facilities to underprivileged citizens who too have a right to health care coverage,” he said.

Talking about the public-private partnership operations in various government hospitals, the chief minister lauded the services of the private partners. “These issues must be solved on a priority basis so that people could be provided best health facilities,” he added. 

The CM said the Drigh Bala rural health center of Johi was in a dilapidated condition and directed the health secretary to report back to him as to why it had been abandoned. After talking to the DHO in Dadu, the health secretary told the CM that the building had been constructed but it remained under the occupation of police. The chief minister directed the health secretary to take over the health center within a week and make it functional.