KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Friday that the Syed Abdullah Shah Institute of Medical Sciences (SASIMS) Sehwan was an important health and teaching facility located on the Indus Highway. “Therefore, it must be made a prestigious institute in terms of health services, medical facilities,” he said, while presiding over the 3rd meeting of Board of Governors (BoGs) of SASIMS at the CM House on Friday. The meeting was attended by Minister Health Dr Sikandar Mendhro, Principal Secretary to CM Sohial Rajput, Secretary Health Fazal Pechuho, SASIMS Director Dr Moinuddin Siddiqui, Member BoGs Syed Asif Ali Shah, Dr Ahsan Siddiqui, Manzoor Soomro, Dr Raheem Bux Bhatti, GIMS Director Gambat Dr Manzoor Hussain Bhatti and Representative of Academic Council Karamullah Babar Lorahi. The BoGs took number of decisions such as purchase of MRI and CT scan machine. The chief minister approved an amount of Rs 90 million for the purpose. The board also decided to construct compound wall around 100 acres plot allotted to the institute by the government. Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah approved Rs 30 million for construction of compound wall and directed the Jamshoro deputy commissioner to remove all the encroachments near the plot and from various parts of the city. “The encroachments cause traffic jams. Therefore, they must be removed,” he said. The board also approved appointment of non-SNE staff including one diabetic specialist, 30 staff nurses, 14 lady health workers, 40 sanitary worker, 20 ward servants and 20 naib qasids. The chief minister directed the director of the institute to appoint an internal auditor. “Internal audits will keep the record straight. We have to work sincerely and honestly for the people of this province,” he said. The BoGs also approved establishment of a nursing school. Initially, a batch of 20 students will be selected. “The standard of nursing school should be maintained at the highest level,” the chief minister said. CM Murad Ali Shah was informed that the satellites of NICVD had been established in three major wards. “Therefore, the institute needs another building to continue its approved projects and health services,” he said. The chief minister with the consent of the board approved construction of three major wards, a hostel and such other buildings. He directed the head of the institute to prepare a scheme for the building for approval and submit the same with Planning and Development department. “I will arrange funds for the purpose,” he said. The board also discussed and approved the establishment of a canteen for the institute. The chief minister directed the institute administration to establish a canteen with best quality food and the staff of the institute may be given food on subsidy. The board also approved purchase of incinerator, water ultra filtration plant and PCR machine for hepatitis B and C diagnosis. The chief minister said that the NICVD satellite would be inaugurated within next week. Health emergency: The health emergency declared in the province has produced some better results, but there is still a great room for improvement. This was stated by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah while presiding over a high-level meeting of health department here at the CM House. The participants of the meeting include Planning and Development Minister Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, Minister Health Jam Mehtab Dahar, Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, Planning and Development Board Chairman Muhammad Waseem, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput, Health Secretary Fazal Pechuho, Khalid Mehmood Shaikh of Finance Department, DG PPP Unit Abdul Fateh Tunio, Special Secretary Dr Fawad Shaikh, Member Social Sector Rehan Balouch, Additional Secretary Dr Ashiq Shaikh and others. The chief minister reviewed appointment of newly recruited doctors, procurement of medicine, public private partnership (PPP) Projects and donor projects. Published in Daily Times, December 30th 2017.