DCs told to hire doctors, paramedics in flood-hit districts

Sindh Chief Minster Syed Murad Ali Shah, concerned over reports about increasing medical and health issues facing the flood victims, has ordered the deputy commissioners of 23 districts to hire the services of medical officers.

According to officials, the provincial chief executive has taken notice of reports about rising health issues among flood victims and the unavailability of doctors. He has directed the deputy commissioners of 23 districts, including Hyderabad, Sujawal, Dadu, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allah Yar, Badin, Thatta, Jamshoro and Sanghar, to hire the services of medical officers, both male and female, as well as essential paramedical staff for various hospitals on a “service rendered basis” for a period of 89 days.

The officials added that a letter issued in this regard said that the competent authority, i.e. the CM, is pleased to accord permission to hiring the services of medical officers and essential paramedical staff for various health facilities in calamity-affected districts for a period of 89 days.

Moreover, the Secretary Services SGA&CD has been accordingly requested to notify the Selection committee for hiring of the above staff with the following composition and terms of reference.

The deputy commissioner of the respective district is to act as chairman, while the members are the district health officer, the medical superintendent of the DHQ and teaching hospital and representative of director general health services Sindh, Hyderabad, who is to be nominated by the DG Health Services Sindh for each division.

The terms of references call for scrutinising the credentials and experience of candidate who would apply for the advertised post and shortlisting suitable candidates against the posts, conducting interviews and submitting recommendations of suitable candidates for the approval of the appointing authority.

The officials said that in this regard, an advertisement for hiring the above staff was being sent to the Information and Archive Department for its publication in leading daily newspapers. The chairman of the Selection Committee has been requested to make necessary arrangements in their respective offices to collect and receive applications from the aspirants and maintain a proper record to conduct the interviews of the shortlisted and eligible candidates.

Earlier, CM Shah, to ensure transparent flood relief operations for providing goods to the needy people, had ordered the ACE director to form a committee to verify the relief items’ distribution.

In this regard, the ACE director has formed a four- member committee under the command of the ACE deputy director Jamshoro. The letter issued from the office of the Sindh ACE director reads, “In pursuance direction of Chief Minister, Sindh and the orders of competent authority conveyed vide letter dated September-9, 2022, received from the deputy secretary, E&ACE Sindh, the following Combine Enquiry Team (CET), Anti-Corruption Establishment Sindh is hereby constituted to verify relief items distribution among the flood and rain affected peoples under Rule 9 (ii) of Sindh, Enquiries and Anti-Corruption Establishment Rules, 1993 and to finalize the same.”