Sindh govt proposes bearing treatment expenses of emergency cases

KARACHI: As per a draft of a bill presented in the Sindh Assembly on Thursday, the provincial government will bear the expenses of all emergency medical treatment of people.

Chief Minister (CM) Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah presented the bill, which has been named ‘Amal Umer’ in the memory of a minor killed in an exchange of fire between police personnel and robbers in Karachi last year.

The proposed legislation says, “Sindh government will pay for the medical expenses of all people injured in an emergency situation. None of the private or government hospital can refuse to provide treatment to such an injured, as it will be mandatory for all hospitals to give immediate medical facilities in such a case.”

The bill further read, the hospital administration will not wait for family’s consent to initiate the medical treatment of the wounded person.

Charging the injured or the family prior to giving treatment will be a punishable crime, neither will the hospital or any doctor demand medico legal officer for the treatment of a patient, the draft added.

“It will be compulsory for all hospitals to have two ambulances equipped with all medical facilities along with a paramedical staff,” the bill recommended, adding that any kind of investigation by a police personnel or a law enforcer is not allowed until the injured is under emergency treatment.

“During the emergency treatment, the injured can not be taken into the police custody.”

Harassment of the individual bringing the injured to a hospital will be a crime, and whoever violates the bill will be liable to pay Rs0.5 million as fine, the bill noted.