Shortage of officers hinders health dept’s working

By Our Staff Reporter

Karachi: A number of important technical and administrative posts lying vacant in Sindh health department for the last several months affecting its working, besides causing inordinate delay in clearing important files pertaining to patients’ care in public sector hospitals across the province.

An official of the health department, on the condition of anonymity, told this scribe that since a number of posts that fell vacant a long time ago have not yet been filled, a number of important files have piled up, causing delay in official work and putting extra workload on the existing officials.

Some of the important positions that are lying vacant in the department include the posts of special secretary (Public Health), deputy secretary (Procurement) and also of a number of section officers, the official said that the work which used to be handled by officials holding such posts have either come to a halt or was being progressing at a snail’s pace.

Highlighting the importance of the nature of job of special secretary (Public Health), he said that this position is considered as the most important post after the post of secretary health as the prime responsibility of a person holding the post of special secretary (Public Health) is to take measures for improving patients’ care across the province in coordination with heads of vertical programmes such as provincial Dengue Prevention and Control Programme.

Confirming that several important positions are yet to be filled, Sindh Secretary Health Dr Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo said a request in this regard has already been sent to the provincial chief secretary and hoped that appointments on these vacant posts would be made shortly.