The working of largest Teaching Hospital of rural Sindh, Chandka Medical College Hospital (CMCH), Larkana, has almost collapsed administratively as well as service delivery and equipment availability-wise, as two medical superintendents (MS) have been posted, one looking after administrative jobs and another has been awarded Drawing & Disbursing Officer’s (DDO) powers. Both are working in BPS-19 and post of MS is of BPS-20, a sheer, open & daring violation of apex court orders by Sindh Government.
The system in CMCH virtually stands Topsy-Turvy as paramedics are in a fix whom to obey. This 1500-bed capacity tertiary care hospital has finally started receiving drugs approximately ten days ago receiving drips only out of 85% share of notorious Central Rate Contract System (CRCS) which meant that the poverty-stricken patients including injured procured all medicines required for their treatment out of their own pockets in this massive price-hike era and the government did nothing for them except hollow political statements. Outdated machinery, equipment and instruments have multiplied the diagnostic woes of the ailing people and CMCH laboratory is also facing acute shortage of kits & chemicals. Lithotripsy machine is dysfunctional since last four months which is used for removing small urinary stones through laser technology. X-ray machines are non-functional as most of them are over 40 years old. Chinese ultrasound machines were procured at high rates three decades ago which too have stopped working long ago. CT scan is also out of order since long and costly machines of Dermatology Department also need repairs. Only four ambulances out of 14 are on road but entire POL budget is shown consumed which need to be thoroughly probed.
According to details, Dr. Ahmed Ali Brohi, Additional Medical Superintendent (AMS), was handed over charge of MS by Dr. Panhwar when he was transferred out of CMCH for not obeying illegal orders of his bosses. Dr. Brohi is in BPS-19 and is to retire on 31st January, 2020. In the meantime, another doctor Irshad Kazmi was transferred from Jamshoro and posted here as AMS (BPS-19). Later on he was awarded DDO powers due to his influence which proved that system in CMCH has been willfully jumbled by the Health Department to make the hospital systematically handicapped despite availability of two BPS-20 doctors i-e Dr. Irshad Morio and Dr. Muhammad Ali Talpur. Sources said that infamous OPS system has once again been revived on the pretext of shortage of senior doctors to grab money for transfer/postings but those have not yet been punished who are responsible for this situation as general cadre doctors promotions were delayed for notoriety.
Over one billion rupees CMCH annual budget of medicines remained non-utilized owing to notorious CRCS as entire hospital remained without medicines (antibiotics, antibacterial, biological drugs, IV fluids/infusion and Hepatitis drugs), surgical, disposable items, x-ray films, chemicals and allied items since June 2019 when the budget was approved. A credible source told this scribe on Tuesday that only drips have arrived ten days ago and other medicines are yet to be supplied by the approved suppliers. He said that inspection of the supplied item will be carried out by a committee at the very outset and then the drips will be distributed to sub-stores of the hospital for onward supply to the indoor patients. The Health Department had directed on 12th December 2019 through a circular letter addressed to all its healthcare facilities across Sindh to procure required drugs etc as per their annual budget allocation under CRCS which proved that delay was willfully made by the government ignoring poor masses’ health and treatment.
The outgoing MS Dr. Brohi told this Scribe that his predecessor had informed health department about massive shortfalls in the hospital but no action has so far been taken to overcome the essential shortages of medicines and replacement of aged equipment & instruments. He said budget for repair of equipment is yet to be received. He said major issues need to be resolved quickly or else poor patients will continue to suffer. When contacted, another MS Dr. Irshad Kazmi did not respond to any call.