KARACHI: Senior Minister for Information Sharjeel Inam Memon negating the statement of MQM Chief Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that since the devolution of three major hospitals of the city in 2011-12, the Sindh government has provided them with a lavish budget of Rs157.733 billion for the upgradation of the hospital and facilities for patients.

In a statement, Memon said Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui before talking to the media on the development and health facilities of Karachi should approach him for data so that he could speak with genuine facts and figures instead of groping in the dark.

Sharing the data, the information minister said in 2011-12, the year when Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) and the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) were devolved, the Sindh government provided them with Rs 1.377 billion, Rs 3 billion and Rs 234 million budget respectively. He also disclosed that from 2011-12 to 2023-24, the provincial government released Rs 76.536 billion to JPMC, Rs 62.905 billion to NICVD, and Rs 18.292 billion to NICH. The total budget given to these major health facilities over the last 14 years amounted to Rs 157.733 billion, underscoring the provincial government’s dedication to the health sector, the people of the province and the country in general as well as the city in particular.

During 2020-21 when the pandemic of COVID-19 wreaked havoc, the Sindh government released Rs104 million and established a 90-bed facility at JPMC. In 2021-22 the government released Rs104 million for operation costs for 90 bed COVID-19 facility, released a Rs240 million grant-in-aid to the Patients Aid Foundation and purchased essential equipment for the JPMC surgical complex.

In 2022-23, the provincial government purchased more essential equipment for the JPMC surgical complex for Rs588.5 million and released another grant-in-aid of Rs340 million to Patient Aid Foundation. In 2023-24 the grant in aid of the Patients Aid Foundation (PAF) was increased and released at Rs640 million.

When discussing the allocation of funds for 2024-25, Memon mentioned that Rs2.137 billion has been allocated for the procurement of equipment and supply of utilities for the new 12-storied, 532-bedded Medical Complex at JPMC. Additionally, a grant of Rs 640 million has been allocated to the Patients Aid Foundation (PAF).

The Senior Minister said that a total of Rs1.86 billion has been provided in grant-in-aid to the PAF for the period from 20121-22 to 2024-25. “This financial support aims to ensure that proper care and facilities are available for patients visiting from all over Pakistan,” Memon said.

Concluding his statement, Sharjeel said that the MQM leadership is disparate and politically misguided under the impression that the people of Karachi would follow blindly as they used to, but they are mistaken. “Today, the people of Karachi believe in PPP leadership, appreciate the provincial government’s development endeavours and laud its efforts for restoration of peace, tranquility and tolerance in this megalopolis city,” he said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024