Daily Times

The Sindh government has finally allocated and released Rs 583.101 million by freezing equivalent amount from two ADP Schemes (Rs 183.101 million (Revenue Component) from ADP Schemes Nos: 589/2019-10 namely Establishment of 50-bedded Medical & Surgical ICU and Expansion of Casualty and OPD at Chandka Medical College Hospital (CMCH), Larkana), and Rs 400 million (Revenue Component) from ADP Scheme No. 599/2019-20 namely purchase of machinery / Equipment for upgrading various Departments of CMCH, which is claimed to be the largest tertiary care hospital of rural Sindh. It was learnt here on Monday through credible sources.

The Finance Department further allowed CMCH to adopt the same amount on non-development side, as Grant-in-Aid to CMCH for purchase of machinery and equipment (to replace outdated). The funds shall be utilised for fulfilment of all codal formalities during the current fiscal year. The funds have been released after massive media reports against functioning of very old vital diagnostic and laboratory instruments and machines which now hopefully will be replaced with latest and modern equipment, machines and instruments. This all is also being done to provide quality healthcare services not only to the poverty-stricken people of Larkana division but also other adjoining districts and parts of Balochistan, these sources added.

These funds have been allocated after the approval of demands sent by various CMCH Departments long ago including Radiology, Laboratories, Neurosurgery, General Surgery, ENT, Eye, Orthopaedics Surgery, Gynaecology, Obstetrics, Paeds Surgery, Paeds Medicine and other departments, sources claimed. The prevailing situation can be assessed from the fact that x-ray machines procured in 1974 and 1986 are still working in CMCH’s Teaching Block and in Shaikh Zayed Women Hospital (SZWH) respectively. Many ultrasound machines have become irreparable and only one ultrasound machine is available for three units of SZWH which can be termed inhuman in this world of scientific development. Outdated laboratory equipment and instruments have not yet been replaced which has multiplied the diagnostic issues as no post-graduate doctor is relying on CMCH lab reports which are issued on plain paper for unavailability of printed Report Forms, sources further claimed.

According to these sources, another amount of Rs 297.913 has also been allocated which is to be utilized in three years. Out of this allocated amount only Rs 15.625 have been released recently to procure OT Table, OT Light, Anaesthesia machine, Diathermy, Pulse Oxymeter and Suction Machine etc for which technical bids were also opened few days ago in Health Department’s Planning and Development Wing, Karachi and the remaining amount will be released in two equal instalments in next two financial years. Larkanians have demanded of the PPP rulers to purchase high quality machines by ignoring cheap and substandard equipment which will last longer for proper results. When CMCH Medical Superintendent Dr Ershad Kazmi was contacted, he avoided to offer comments.