DT News - Pakistan - Public Sector Hospitals – Shortage of staff affecting health delivery system

DT-Pakistan Report

Mon. 25 May 2015

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KARACHI – Several public sector health facilities in the city are facing acute shortage of employees and at least three of them have been virtually closed, it was authoritatively learnt.

Moreover, similar situation has been prevailing in many hospitals of other districts of Sindh, officials admitted.

The situation had arisen in the wake of Sindh health department’s policy of cancelling posting orders of those employees who were working either on deputation or on detailment basis.

However, health department’s senior officials said that the policy of not retaining officials and doctors on deputation or on detailment in other than their parent organizations was being implemented in the light of superior judiciary’s order.

Meanwhile, an official of the department said: “The policy will be hugely positive if the vacancies are filled in time, otherwise health facilities in under-staffed health facilities will continue to be deteriorated.”

Citing the example of Malir Town where three health facilities have been virtually closed because of shortage of staff, sources claimed that at least 40 staff members of different categories, including doctors and paramedics, have been relieved from these health facilities.

The three closed facilities are: Khokhrapar Maternity Home, Adam Hingora’s government dispensary and Jaffer-i-Tayyar’s government dispensary.

An official of Malir Town said: “Although we are trying hard to run these health facilities through some makeshift arrangement, it was very difficult to maintain the health delivery system.”

“The equal and need-based distribution of manpower and punishment to ghost employees could bring about improvement in the whole system, but it is unfortunately not happening due to some political expediency,” an official deplored.