JPMC likely to start evening shift: Senator

Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), a federal government-run hospital, is likely to start evening shift to cater the need of 20 million people of Sindh. This was stated by Kalsoom Parveen, Chairperson Senate Standing Committee on Health while addressing a press conference after a brief visit of federal government-run health facilities of the city here on Monday.
"The federal government would recruit some private doctors to ensure round the clock medical treatment at JPMC," she said. She said that there was a dire need to channelise the monitoring system of JPMC to make effective use of latest equipment in the hospital.
The committee has received many complaints during the visit of the hospital and decided to constitute a three-member sub committee to access the difficulties and problems faced by the hospital, she added. She said that the sub committee, which will be headed by Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan with senators Seemen Siddiqui and Dr Khatumal as its members, would present a report within two months. On the basis of the report, the Committee would approach federal government for solution of the problems, she said.
She said that the management of government-run hospitals of the city complained about prolonged power outages during treatment in daytime. The committee would also approach Federal Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to direct Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) for maintaining uninterrupted power supply to government-run health facilities of the city, she added. She said after visiting the hospitals the committee had prepared some recommendations for ensuring timely provision of medicines to the patients.
She said the committee had also received complaints regarding shortage of 86 doctors at JPMC and decided to approach Ministry of Health for filling the vacancies, she added. The committee shown grave concerns over hygiene condition in the hospitals and directed the management to ensure hygienic conditions in the hospitals, she said.
Chairperson Senate body on Health said that the management of JPMC had been directed to remove the encroachment and pushcarts and cabins along with the boundary walls of JPMC. She requested Governor Sindh Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan, Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Provincial Minister Health Dr Saghir Ahmed and City Nazim Karachi Syed Mustafa Kamal to launch crackdown against land grabbers, who have occupied precious land of federal government and built shops and cabins on it in JPMC.
She said that the committee had also shown concerns over embezzlement in donations' fund, which is given to JPMC for providing medical treatment to the deserving people. "The committee has directed the administration of the hospital to form a board to monitor the utilisation of the donations," she added.