SHCC awareness session on complaint registration process

KARACHI: The Directorate of Complaints Sindh Healthcare Commission (SHCC) conducted awareness sessions at their divisional headquarters of Larkana and Ghotki district to provide information about SHCC and the importance of complaint cell along with the process of complaint registration.

About 60 participants from different healthcare establishments (HCE’s) including superintendents, doctors, the nursing staff of hospitals and governmental officials from various health departments attended these awareness sessions.

The Director of Complaint, SHCC, Dr Amir provided general awareness about the SHCC and the complaint process. He informed that a complaint could be lodged by way of personal appearance to the healthcare commission, in writing addressed to the CEO-SHCC, or by accessing the web portal available at the SHCC website.

However, first, the complaints need to be registered with the HCE’s by the complainant.

Till date, the SHCC has received a total of 32 complaints from all across the Sindh Province. These complaints are split into two categories. The first category of complaints received is from health-care providers and the second category of complaints received is from patients. A total of 63% of complaints had been addressed, 13% are sub-judiced, and the remaining are in different stages of the investigation process.

The SHCC complaint team has observed that most of the complaints are related to malpractices, mal-administration, and the unavailability of infrastructure and human resources.

On the other hand, an inspection was conducted by the Directorate of Complaint, SHCC, at the People's Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI), Ghotki against the complaint received.

The other Directorates’ functions include that in the Directorate of Anti-quackery, a total of 44 applications for unsealing have been processed by its Inspection & Enforcement team.

In Directorate of Registration, a total of 42 new applications were received for provisional licensing, and 33 registration certificates were issued recently.

The follow-up is being done by the Directorate of Clinical Governance & training on the recently imparted training.