CM Sindh orders bulk supply of medicines to all govt hospitals within week

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed health department to ensure supply of medicines to all the government hospitals by the end of next week. “This may be taken on top priority.”

He stated this while presiding over a meeting of health department here at the CM House today.

The chief minister said that the purchase of medicines has not been completed so far. Therefore, some of the hospitals are faced with shortage of medicines, according to an official statement.

Minister Health Dr Sikandar Mendhro said that with the approval of the chief minister 15 percent local purchase has been allowed, therefore, there is no shortage. “As per policy 15 percent purchase is made locally while 85 percent purchase is done centrally,” he said.

The chief minister directed him to adopt legal procedure and complete the purchase of the medicine. “Give me report of supply of medicines within a week,” he said.

It may be noted that over all operational budget of hospitals of the province comes to Rs18 billion in which around Rs6.5 billion is the budget of medicines.

The chief minister said that he has installed boards in all the hospitals urging patients to get medicine from the hospital store free of cost.

Talking about Public Private Partnership (PPP) operation of various government hospitals, the chief minister said that the private partners are operating in a best way. Therefore, their issues must be solved on priority basis so that they could provide best of their health facilities.

The chief minister pointed out that Drigh Bala rural health center of Johi was in dilapidated condition. He directed secretary health to report him why it was abandoned.

The secretary health talked to the DHO dadu and got the report then and there. The chief minister was told that the building was complete but it remained for a certain time under the occupation of the police. The chief minister directed secretary health to take over the heaslth center within a week and get it functional.

The chief minister also directed health department to submit him a detailed report of all the health centers/health facilities lying incomplete for any obstacle.

The chief minister directed the health minister to keep visiting hospitals close coordination with all the hospitals so that they provide best of their facilities to the people of this province.