Murad okays Rs1bn, recruitment of doctors for JPMC

Sindh’s chief minister has approved Rs1 billion to purchase medicines and surgical items as well as recruitment of doctors and other necessary staff for the Jinnah Hospital.

Syed Murad Ali Shah made the decisions at the CM House on Tuesday during a meeting to review and resolve the problems of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC).

Dr Seemin Jamali, the health facility’s executive director, stated in her presentation that the JPMC was a 1,650-bed tertiary centre that provided the highest standard of medical care to every segment of society.

She said the outpatient department catered to 4,500 patients a day and the bed occupancy rate was 83.78 per cent, while the emergency department entertained more than 1,000 patients.

Dr Seemin said the hospital saw over a million patients a year for free, which was perhaps the highest figure in the country, adding that more than 27,000 major and minor surgeries were annually conducted at the JPMC.

“The centre also provides postgraduate, nursing and paramedical teaching and training with trainee attendance of 1,360,” she said, adding that the hospital’s attached departments included the Basic Medical Science Institute, the College of Physiotherapy, the College of Medical Technology, the College of Nursing and the School of Nursing.

She informed the chief executive that the Jinnah Hospital required essential furniture and equipment to improve diagnostic treatment facilities and teaching and training through a special grant.

CM Shah directed Finance Secretary Hassan Naqvi to confer with Dr Seemin and provide her hospital with the necessary funds. “I want to ensure the best health facilities for the people of Sindh and those who come here from other provinces.”

The JPMC chief presented a list of 132 items costing Rs918,005,600. On this Shah said he would provide the maximum funds and make the JPMC one of the best equipped hospitals in the country.

Sanitary budget

Dr Seemin said the hospital had employed private janitors whose annual salaries came to Rs9 million, adding that 103 of the 332 sanitary worker positions were vacant.

“These 332 jobs were sanctioned when the bed strength of the hospital was 1,185, and now it has increased to 1,650 with the addition of Medical ICU, Department of Neurosurgery, Radiology Cyber Knife, ENT Unit-II, Endocrine Surgery, etc.”

On this CM Shah approved increasing the hospital’s sanitary budget from Rs4.64 million to Rs20 million, and urged the JPMC chief to provide patients with health services in the most hygienic environment.  

Electricity bills

Dr Seemin said the JPMC’s average monthly bill came to Rs37.5 million but the annual sanctioned budget for it was Rs269.5 million. On this the CM directed the finance and energy secretaries to talk to K-Electric for providing the hospital with power on subsidised rates. He then directed the finance secretary to settle the JPMC’s electricity bills.

Security arrangements

The meeting also discussed the hospital’s security. They were informed that the health facility had 84 posts of watchmen for its 28 clinical wards and 40 multi-storey buildings spread over 75 acres.

CM Shah told Dr Seemin to draft a detailed security plan for the hospital and send it to him. “I shall allow you either ad hoc appointment or hiring of private security guards,” he said, and assured adequate security for the JPMC.  

Staff accommodation

Dr Seemin then proposed a project to construct 72 flats for the staff in the hospital’s residential area. The CM approved the project that would cost around Rs351 million.

He directed his principal secretary, Sohail Rajput, to sort out the details with the JMPC administration and then send them to him for his approval.

938 vacant positions

The JPMC chief told the meeting that 938 of the 2,646 different posts at the hospital were vacant. On this the chief executive told her to send him a summary for the recruitment of the necessary staff.

“I shall approve the recruitment process and then start it purely on the basis of merit,” he said. “We cannot delay recruitment in essential services.”

Dr Seemin and other administrative officers of the JPMC thanked CM Shah for his generosity and lauded his prompt decision-making. The meeting was also attended by Health Minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro, Planning & Development Chairman Mohammad Waseem, Health Secretary Dr Fazlullah Pechuho and others.