800 posts are lying vacant in Civil Hospital Karachi

About 800 posts are lying vacant at Sindh’s largest teaching institution, Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK), which has badly affected the smooth functioning of this major provincial government-run healthcare facility.

There are 3,000 sanctioned posts in 1900 bedded CHK out of which 800 are lying vacant. These posts include that of doctors, nurses, paramedics, support staff and administrative staff. The shortage of staff has badly affected the performance of this healthcare facility.

Sources at CHK told that around 80 posts of doctors, 150 posts of staff nurses, 100 posts  of paramedical staff, 05 posts in grade-15, 100 posts of sweepers and others administrative seats have been lying vacant in this teaching hospital since last several years.

Similarly, about 200 posts of non-technical and support staff from grade-1 to grade-14 are lying vacant since several years including hospitality services, kitchen, transport, general store, laundry, workshop , electrical, mechanical, ward boy, wooden, security,  ministerial staff, ancillary staff, telephone exchange etc. The shortage of employees has badly affected the performance of this health facility.

Sources said the hospital administration urgently needed nurses and doctors who could check the patients with emergency requirement. The number of Intensive Care Units (ICUs) has been increased in the hospital with the passage of time and the administration needs skilled staff nurses and paramedical staff to attend such patients.

He said: “The number of patients has increased from 6,000 to 9,000 in OPDs as 900 to 1,000 patients are brought to Accident & Emergency Department each day, over 100 women visit Gynecology units for deliveries, 500 children attend Pediatric OPD. Scores of diagnostic tests are being performed in the institution free of cost on daily basis.

The concerned authorities of Sindh Health Department have not been paying heed towards the shortage of staff in public sector hospitals like Civil Hospital where doctors, nurses and support staff are performing their duties under extreme pressure and extra burden of work that leads them towards various behavioral issues.

The unavailability of doctors, medicines, diagnostic facilities and shortage of staff in major hospitals of Karachi including Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center and Sindh Government Lyari General Hospital and other districts hospitals has also doubled the patients’ turnout in this teaching hospital.

Medical Superintendent, CHK, Dr Khadim Qureshi, said that there was urgent need of skilled nurses, doctors, paramedics and other support staff to run this teaching hospital smoothly. He said that a request had been sent to the concerned authorities of Sindh Health Department to fill vacant posts on urgent basis to further improve the performance of hospital.