Sindh Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed has demanded of the provincial government to immediately release funds allocated for health sector in the budget, so the pending projects could be completed and new projects could be executed.
He expressed these views while talking to journalists after inaugurating the Influenza Lab and medical OPD (Out Patients Department) at Civil Hospital Karachi. On the occasion Secretary Health Sindh Hashim Raza Zaidi, Medical Superintendent (MS) Civil Hospital Saeed Qureshi, Focal Person Influenza Lab, Dr Shakeel Malik and other officials were also present.
The minister said the public would benefit from the Influenza Lab. He said earlier blood tests' samples of swine flu patients had to send Agha Khan Hospital and National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad for confirmation before establishment of the lab, but now the whole test would be conducted here in Civil Hospital.
In the Influenza Lab, tests of around 12 types of influenza including H1N1 known as Swine flue would be conducted.
He said the construction of the lab cost Rs1 million while the high tech and expensive machinery had been provided by NIH. The tests for influenza would be free of cost. The minister said the influenza lab was a new addition in Civil Hospital.
The minister said an awareness campaign would be started in the next week to raise awareness about the deadly virus of H1N1.
He said Sindh Finance department was not releasing funds amounting to Rs100 million allocated in the budget for different health sector projects.
The allocations of health sector are really meager, as the government placed a 50 percent cut on health budget after the floods.
The construction of trauma center has been stopped due to lack of funds, he added.
Commenting on SMC and JPMC row, the minister said that if Sindh Medical College is converted into University and was runs under the federal government there would be no problem.
On the occasion, Secretary Health Hashim Raza Zaidi said that the Civil Hospital caters 5,000 to 6,000 patients at its OPDs daily and around 150,000 patients are being facilitated monthly.