KARACHI: Admini-strator Karachi Laeeq Ahmed on Wednesday said that the establishment of Health City on 34 acres of land adjacent to Manghopir Leprosy Hospital would be a great gift for the citizens of Karachi.
“Civil society and welfare organizations are cooperating with Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) in this noble cause. There is a shortage of medical facilities in view of the growing population. There is a lot of work to be done in the health sector,” the Administrator expressed these views while addressing a meeting on the establishment of Manghopir Health City at his office here.
Senior Director Coordination Khalid Khan, Senior Director Medical Services Dr Abdul Hameed Jamani, Leprosy Hospital’s Medical Superintendent Dr Asif Usman, Senior Manager Al-Khidmat Manzar Alam, Zafar Abbas of JDC, Yousuf Lakhani of Sailani Welfare, President Karachi Kidney Diseases Association Masood Nawab, Rehan Yaseen of Alamgir Welfare Trust, Dr Wasim Khan of SIUT, Director Faizan Global Foundation Rizwan Ahmed, Former Senior Director Medical Services Dr Muhammad Ali Abbasi, representatives of Indus Hospital and others were also present.
Appreciating the efforts of the welfare organizations working in the city, the Administrator Karachi said that KMC has 34 acres of valuable land in Manghopir which they want to save from land grabbers and use to serve the suffering humanity. He said that a comprehensive treatment centre could be set up and the welfare organizations would extend their full support to KMC. The needs are increasing day by day and it is high time that wherever resources and space are available, it should be used for setting up medical centres.
Ahmed asked the welfare organizations to come up with the recommendations, adding that the same would be incorporated by the KMC. This project will be run on a permanent basis, he said, adding that the Leprosy Hospital has machinery, equipment and laboratory worth millions of rupees but unfortunately these facilities are not functional.
The Administrator asked welfare organizations to come up and set up a diagnostic centre. “This is a great need of the people of the area,” he added.
It was decided in the meeting that representatives of social and welfare organizations and experts will visit Leprosy Hospital in Manghopir and after that a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed so that all matters can be brought under the rules and regulations. “This will prove to be a long term project,” he vowed.
The Administrator Karachi directed the Senior Director Medical Services and MS of Leprosy Hospital to provide full cooperation and all kinds of facilities to all the social and welfare organizations working in this regard. He said that this is a great opportunity for the charities to collaborate with KMC to set up a big health city in Manghopir and make it the largest health city in Karachi with all the facilities from gynaecology to surgery.
Ahmed also asked the welfare organizations to bring forward the field in which they have expertise and create the framework of their choice, adding that KMC will welcome and implement every good offer for the betterment of the citizens of Karachi. During the meeting, representatives of various welfare agencies informed about the facilities provided by their organization and assured the Administrator that they would play their part in this project designed for the welfare of the citizens.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021