Sindh to transform Giddu Bandar hospital into psychiatry institute

On the recommendation of a 10-member technical committee of experts, the Sindh government has decided to transform Sir Cowasjee Jehangir Institute of Psychiatry (SCJIP), commonly known as Giddu Bandar Hospital, into an independent and autonomous institute of psychiatry, affiliated with Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro.

A decision in this regard was taken by Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah while presiding over a meeting to review the initial draft of recommendations, submitted by a 10-member committee formed in this regard.

The chief secretary said Sir Cowasjee Jehangir Institute of Psychiatry (SCJIP) Hyderabad was a mental health institute, which was the largest of its kind in Pakistan, and for the betterment of the institution the Sindh government had decided to give autonomy and independence to the institution.

He said that on April 19, 2019, a committee was formed by the Sindh government to prepare a draft of legislation for an independent and autonomous institute, affiliated with Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro.

The committee has submitted its initial draft and a feasibility report to the chief secretary. The meeting discussed the initial draft and gave some recommendations to the committee.

The chief secretary directed the committee to finalise the draft within a period of two months and the final draft would be presented before the provincial cabinet for further recommendations and approval.

The chief secretary also directed the secretary health to prepare a PC-I for the construction of a state of the art building of the institute.

Chief Secretary Shah stated that the provincial government wanted to make this institute a state of the art, autonomous and international institute to keep it intact for the next 200 years as it had already existed for over 150 years. He further stated that it was also a national heritage of Sindh. The SCJ Institute should be affiliated with LUMHS Jamshoro for educational purposes, but it must be autonomous and independent.

The top priority must be given to patients who were suffering from mental illnesses, he remarked. The medical superintendent of the SCJ informed the chief secretary that the institute was built in 1865 by Parsi philanthropist Sir Cowasji Jahangir and had been catering to mentally ill persons of not only Sindh but of all other provinces of the country.

“The number of OPD patients is increasing every year and according to the institute’s record in 2009 a total of 33,568 patients attended the OPD and last year the number of the patients was 77,264, and that is more than double within a period of nine years,” said the MS.

He further said the chief secretary regarding illegal encroachments and allotments within the SCJ institute. The chief secretary assured the MS that all encroachments would be removed and allotments cancelled.

The meeting was attended by Secretary Health Saeed Ahmed Awan, members of the committee comprising LUMHS Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Bikha Ram, Sindh Mental Health Authority (SMHA) Chairman Dr Karim Khowaja, SCJIP Medical Superintendent Dr Aijaz Khanzada, Prof Dr Haroon, Dr Jamil Junejo, Prof Dr Moin Ahmed Ansari, LUMHS Registrar Dr Murtaza Dayo and others.