Daily Times

KARACHI: The government-run health units in Sindh are unable to provide relief to a common man, and the outdated service structure of the medical staff is one of the major hurdles in resolving the crisis, experts told Daily Times.

Sindh Health Department who is already struggling hard to provide improved health conditions in the province seems to be reluctant on working to improve service structures.

Government of Sindh has already launched health emergency in the province for deteriorating health facilities.

The newly appointed Sindh’s Health Secretary, Dr Fazalullah Pechuho, soon after assuming the office had directed the authorities to launch a crackdown against over 6,000 quacks operating in almost all districts of the province.

The health authorities have been directed to act against the quacks, register FIR’s against them to curb the menace.

“Service structure should be revised at earliest in the entire province with the consent of stake holders,” Dr S M Qaiser Sajjad, Secretary General Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) told.

This is PMA’s old demand, in Sindh doctors are performing their respective duties with fewer pay scales as compare to other provinces, he added.

As per Sindh Health Department statistics, there are more than 14,000 doctors 2,000 nurses and over 12,000 paramedics serving all over the province currently.

17704 Lady Health Workers (LHWs) and 705 Lady Health Workers’ Supervisors are working in the field in Sindh, while around 4,000 more LHW are required currently to cover the entire rural population of the province.

Dr Omar Sultan, Chairman Young Doctors Association Sindh, agrees with the PMA stance for improving service structure at earliest.

“Besides that Government should also appoint the already announced 6000 doctors at its earliest as the provinces was facing the shortages of medical officers,” Dr Sultan stated.

He said Health Professional Allowance, which is already being implemented in other provinces, should also be provided here for medical officers for Sindh. Unlike in Punjab where Rs. 4, 5000 is being provided for Health Professional Allowance, we are only being given Rs. 15000.

Paramedics have also demanded the establishment of Pakistan Allied Health Professionals (Paramedical) Council Act 2014 which has been in doldrums.

Health Professional Allowance should be raised in accordance to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province as KP staff is getting is Rs. 10,000 per month, said Pakistan Paramedical Staff Association (PPMSA) Sindh President Ismail Jiskani. His demands also included the issuance of risk allowance, emergency and causality allowance and uniform allowance.

Similarly Lady Health Workers Association is demanding revision of pay scale.

According to Bushra Arain, the Central President, All Pakistan Lady Health Workers Association, the pay scale of Lady Health Workers is main issue for around 25,000 Lady Health Workers in the province.

“Lady Health Workers are working under grade seven. If the service structure is revised, LHWs can acquire grade 14 pay scale,” she added.

PMA also demands for taking action against the ghost doctors.

“There are a large number of ghost doctors in the province which are working under the political fold. Basic health units are not functioning. Quacks can only be vanished when BHU’s will be improved. Action against ghost doctors should also be taken,” Dr Sajjad opined.