Two minors die due to gastro disease, judge takes notice in Shikarpur

Author: Naeem Ahmed

SHIKARPUR: The Shikarpur District and Sessions Judge (DSJ) Suhail Muhammad Laghari on Thursday took notice of the death of two minors who died on late Wednesday due to gastro-intestinal illness in Qadir Bakhsh Pahore village of Khanpur subdivision of Shikarpur district.

Reportedly, the two minors were identified as 10-month-old Kalsoom and four-year-old Amina.

Consequently, he visited the RBUT Civil Hospital in Shikarpur where he expressed anger over staffs’ actions when he inspected the addition of Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS) in the tank of potable water, and dismissed the office superintendent Fatah Muhammad and seven clerks including Hussain Bakhsh Jatoi, Ali Sher Marfani, Ubedullah Mahar, Salman Soomro, Hidayat Ali Shah, Muhammad Aslam and Ubedullah Kakepoto for being irresponsible.

Meanwhile, families of the admitted children in paediatrics ward complained to the DSJ that there were scores of patients suffering through gastro-intestinal illness in many villages of Khanpur.

Immediately, he issued directives to the district health officer (DHO) Dr Zulfiqar Abro to send teams of health workers to the affected villages for their treatment.

Later, he examined a medicine store of the hospital, and expressed annoyance after finding out that medicines were being issued without a label ‘not for sale’, a sheer violation of the apex court’s directives.

What further irked the judge was dangling of naked electric wires within the premises of the hospital, posing a serious risk of electrocution to the patients and their families with the monsoons knocking at the door.

He summoned the contractor Inder Jeet Lal with all essential documents to enquire into the matter of utter negligence.

Regarding a low-grade and defective electrical wiring, the judge was told by Dr Kazi Khursheed, a medical superintendent, that even switchboards were not installed for air conditioners.

“The contractor had received full payment for the construction work, but did a very substandard work,” the records management officer (RMO) Sarfraz Memon, Jahangir Chandio, monitoring officer, Ashique Jatoi, Jahanzaib Mallah and Halar Rajar said.

Meanwhile, the judge assured them that he would send a report to the apex court after investigation, and a stern action would be taken against the corrupt persons involved.

Published in Daily Times, July 20^th 2018.