KARACHI- The Home Department Sindh has spent millions of rupees every year on policemen treatment from private hospitals, got injuries in line of duties, but unfortunately department could not bother to up-grade the Sindh Police Hospital Karachi, an official of Sindh Police Hospital told.
Official said policemen regularly on target of militants and mafias operating in Karachi, police hospital in the city is in dire need of modern facilities like trauma center, emergency centre and other facilities to provide better healthcare facilities to police official and their families.
He said police official who sustained bullets in encounters, injured in bomb blasts and received various fatal road accidents in chasing criminals were being shifted to private hospitals due to better healthcare facilities in these institutions and department paid millions of rupees in account of their treatment ever year.
But the department concerned could not increase the annual budget hospital since last ten years, while could not initiate various projects like trauma center and emergency center despite the passage several years, he explained.
He informed that there are around 40,000 police officials and personnel in Karachi, who are performing duties to protect lives and properties of citizens. But there were no specialists doctors posts sanctioned for 62 beds hospital since the inception of healthcare, he added.
He said hospital urgently needed posts of specialists doctor like general surgeon, gynecologist, psychiatrist, radiologist, orthopedic, pathologist and anesthesiologist in order to provide better healthcare facilities to police official and their families.
He said due to rising number of gun shots incidents, injuries in bomb blasts and severe road mishaps in the line of duty among policemen, the police hospital desperately needs to be equipped with state-of-the-art health facilities. Those needing emergency care or trauma assistance generally referred to PNS Shifa and other private hospitals for emergency treatment.
He informed that department had spent 7.5 million rupees from 2011 to 2014 for treatment of 213 police officials and personnel only one private hospital like PNS Shifa Hospital due to better health facilities. He said millions of rupees of spent annually on policemen treatment from various private hospitals can be saved if police hospital up-graded and in state-of-the-art health facilities established in hospital.
Medical Superintendent, Dr Muhammad Younis Chachar, when contacted, said hospital administration has been receiving 8.7m annual budget from government since last ten year, but due to increase of drugs prices, expenditures on per patients and utility bills, it has become much difficult for management to run hospital.
He said department must increase annual budget and release funds for trauma center as it feasibility report already sent to authorities concerned. He said hospital built on the land of health department, while currently all affairs of hospital in the hands of home department and health department only providing manpower to police hospital.
President, Pakistan Medical Association Karachi, Prof Dr Idrees Adhi, said Sindh Police Hospital should be up-graded on the patron army and rangers hospitals. He said police hospital should be equipped with state-of-the-art health facilities on urgent basis. He said PMA has full sympathy with police officials and personnel who are performing duties to protect lives and properties of citizens.
He demanded of the provincial authorities concerned to equip police hospital with state-of-the-art health facilities in order to decrease their miseries.