CHK Faces Shortage of Staff as 600 Posts Remain Vacant

KARACHI- The functioning of Sindh’s largest teaching hospital institution, Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK), has been greatly affected as around 600 posts for doctors, nurses and paramedics are still lying vacant.

According to the sources at CHK, around 3,000 posts were sanctioned to the 1900 bedded health institution, out of which 600 posts are still unoccupied, including that of doctors, nurses, paramedics, helping and administrative staff.

Around 80 posts of doctors, 150 posts of staff nurses, 100 posts  of paramedics, 05 posts in grade-15, 100 posts of sweepers and others administrative staff are said to be vacant, since last few years.

Due to shortage of employees, the hospital has been facing various kinds of lags, affecting the overall performance of the health facility.

The hospital administration is in dire need of experienced doctors and nurses to deal with critical cases and provide patients with authentic healthcare.

With the passage of time, the hospital has increased the number of Intensive Care Units (ICUs), which now requires a skilled staff of nurses and paramedics to facilitate the patients.

The hospital has been witnessing a noticeable increase in patients visiting their OPDs on a day to day basis, marking up to 6,000 to 7,000 patients, followed by 800 to 1,000 patients in Accident and Emergency Department.

Over 100 women visit their Gynecology units for deliveries in a day. Each day 500 children are attended at the Pediatric OPD, followed by a score of diagnostic tests being performed at the institution on a daily basis, absolutely free of cost.

As per CHK’s administration, the concerned authorities of Sindh Health Department have not been paying heed towards the condition of public sector hospitals like CHK, where doctors and nurses are performing their duties under extreme pressure that leads them towards various behavioral issues.

Medical Superintendent, CHK, Dr Sabir Memon informed that there were 47 units within the health facility and the number of patients kept increasing day by day due to the below average functioning of other public hospitals.

He urged the Health Department to start recruiting candidates to fill the vacant posts, in order to ensure smooth functioning of the hospital.