LARKANA: Vice Chancellor of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU) Larkana, Prof Ghulam Asghar Channa has said that the varsity should have its own 500-bed capacity teaching hospital. He recommended that teaching hospitals should be run through a committee and not by a single person who should be inclusive of VC, MS and any professor having knowledge of administrative affairs. He said concerned professor should also be appointed for procurement of required drugs, equipment and medicines so that proper medicines and machines were purchased. He said hospital and medical university all over the world were one. Addressing a symposium on the second day on ‘approach to health issues of masses’ at Areeja Campus of the varsity he also discussed threadbare issues of teaching hospitals of Sindh province. Medical Superintendent of Chandka Medical College Hospital, Larkana, Dr Mahboob Ali Shah complained that medicines procured out of their 85 percent annual budget allocation have not yet been received in CMCH. He said that after centralization of procurement process in Sindh, issues of teaching hospitals have multiplied. He said that he has run hospital just within 15 percent of allocated budget which was astonishing. He said hospital affairs and performance cannot be improved until and unless political and unionism involvement is not stopped. He said inexperienced MSs have been posted which would also not improve working of healthcare system. Shah said that despite several letters sent to health department no permission for fresh recruitment has been granted due to which acute shortage of staff was being experienced in every department of CMCH. He said there were only five ambulances whereas there should be 15 ambulances being the most important hospital of upper Sindh. He said that they were facing severe pressure including judiciary, media, NAB and other probing agencies. Prof Nadim Rizvi said that Bangladesh was spending 4 percent of GDP over healthcare system but in Pakistan we were spending less than 1 percent of GDP which was alarming. Under such circumstance how can healthcare system be improved. Sindh Minister for Health Dr Sikander Mandhro said that doctors were worshiped before but now they were feeling insecure. He said you would have to see where fault lies. He said attitude of doctors with patients was not good. He said without insurance treatment was not provided around globe but we provide free treatment facilities to poor and even then complaints were made. He said that they would bring a new bill in Assembly soon to combine university and hospitals. Published in Daily Times, January 21st 2018.