PMA expresses concern over changes in the healthcare system

KARACHI: Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), Karachi, had expressed concern over the fresh modifications in the healthcare system of Sindh, and according to PMA, these alterations would lead to a long-term impact on patients, student's medical education and the status of healthcare workers in Karachi. 

Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro, General Secretary, PMA, expressed his perspective in a press conference at PMA house. Dr Mirza Ali Azhar and Dr Muhammad Ismail Memon were also accompanying him during the occasion.

Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro indicated that it is undeniably unfortunate that Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and the Ministry of Local Bodies failed to organise their healthcare system for the benefit of residents of Sindh. He also emphasised on 18th Amendment in the Constitution of Pakistan, which states that the power should be passed on to local bodies by the provincial assembly. 

He further claimed that it was the responsibility of statesmen of Karachi to protect the destitute patients of their constituencies but owing to their ineptness, they failed. He despondently articulated and showed concern over the recent bill passed from the Provincial Assembly of Sindh that gives the power to the Health Department of Sindh to take over the control of health facilities of the Ministry of Local Bodies and KMC.

The Ministry of Health would also manage Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Karachi Medical and Dental College, which were already suffering from a chronic dearth of funding, health workers' inefficiency, and stakeholders' failures in running these institutes. The Sobhraj Hospital, Rafiqui Shaheed Hospital, Leprosy Centers, Soldier Bazaar Maternity Home, Gazderabad Hospital and Gizri Maternity are a few examples where residents of Karachi would be agonised, as per Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro. 

He premediated that PMA, Karachi, is highly concerned about this situation and hoped that the Health Minister of Sindh would make sure that these institutes would be re-organised to provide the best healthcare to citizens of Karachi like NICVD. He hoped that the Minister of Health would take immediate action against the corrupt individuals who are interested in capturing these government properties for their own benefit.

He urged that the Health Minister of Sindh should take immediate action to safeguard these two fundamental institutions of Karachi, Karachi Medical & Dental College and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

He notified that the executive committee of PMA, Karachi, proposed the blueprint for these perplexities. First, Karachi Medical and Dental College should be an autonomous institute, and the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital should be in the administrative control of Medical College. Second, the autonomous governing body should be given all funding with the power of human resources. Last, all appointments should be on merit with immediate effects.

He notified the sufferings of medical and dental college students, and the need of an effective faculty accompanied by a structured medical education system. He hoped that the Health Minister of Sindh would take a personal interest in the matters of these hospitals.

He deliberated that PMA strongly believed that all the hospitals in Karachi should be working efficiently with proper monitoring and audit system. Services to poor people should be provided with dignity. He further stated that PMA would help the government to re-organise the health care system in Karachi in the interest of the public, medical students and health workers.