'The Sindh Government has earmarked Rs800 million to launch Hepatitis Control Programme (HTCP) and Rs 20 million to combat Dengue virus in the province,' the Sindh Minister for Health, Dr Sagheer Ahmed said. He was talking to the journalists at the committee room of Medical Superintendent, Liaquat Medical Hospital Hyderabad on Sunday evening.
Addressing newsmen, the Sindh Minister said that Hepatitis was rapidity increasing posing a threat to the people and the HTCP was being launched in Sindh with its headquarter at Hyderabad.
He said that the aim of this programme is to diagnose the disease and provide vaccination as preventive measure and to treat infected people.It will also offer treatment facilities to the people at each district of the province. The Minister said that present government was giving top priority to health sector has increased the annual health budget up to Rs2, 978 million as compared to Rs1, 246 million in the last year, besides increasing the salaries of house job doctors Rs6, 000- to Rs12, 000.
He said that separate budget has been provided to each BHU, RHC, Taluka Hospitals, district hospitals and teaching hospitals in Sindh. Further, present government while honouring the merit has appointed about 1,000 doctors and would appoint more doctors to ensure that each medical unit of urban and rural area has sufficient doctors and especial women medical officer.
The Sindh Minister also said that in order to solve the problems of Para-Medical staff, structure of their services was being revived, while legislation was being made for the establishment of People Medical University and Ghulam Muhammad Medical College Sukkur was being strengthened technically and professionally.
To a question about emergence of new Polio cases in Sindh, he held the migrating factor responsible said that unfortunately polio cases have re-emerged in Pakistan, Nigeria, India and Afghanistan. He regretted that in Afghanistan and Northern areas of Pakistan, polio campaign was not possible due to on-going war against terrorists.
People migrating from these areas were carrying the virus in this country and its provinces, however he claimed that due to un-tired efforts the number of polio cases has been come down in Sindh from 15 in last year to six this year. Dr Ahmed further said that he has talked to the Governor Sindh to bind the faculty professor of Medical University for performing their regular duty at the wards of the allied hospitals.
About shortage of medicines in hospitals and patients being forced to buy medicines from outsides, he directed the MS LUHMS, Hyderabad to ensure availability of all medicines in hospitals and provide to the patients from hospital's store freely and not to compel patients to purchase medicines from outside.
About peddling of substandard drugs, Dr Sagheer said that monitoring cell has been constituted to pay surprise visits to the markets especially, medical stores within periphery of the hospitals and to ordered action against defaulters. Talking about violence against doctors and Para-medical staff,. He said that he was considering deployment of Rangers at the hospital permanently.
Earlier, soon after his arrival at the hospital, the Sindh Minister inaugurated the newly renovated Emergency Ward and took a round of the wards and other parts of the hospital.
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