Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) Vice chancellor Professor Saeed Quraishy has said that Sindh lags behind Punjab in health infrastructure and provision of health services to its people and called upon the private sector to join hands with the government to alleviate the miseries of people.
"Sindh is lagging behind Punjab in the health sector as we have the chronic issues like unavailability of medicines to the patients, poor sanitary conditions at our public hospitals as well as absence of required number of qualified doctors for our people," he said while speaking at the inaugural ceremony of a medical conference on Saturday.
The two-day medical conference titled "Karachi Con 18", has been organised by the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) here at a local hotel and its is being attending by national and international health experts, researchers, doctors, medical students and educationists.
On the occasion, 15 public and private health organisations and NGOs were given excellence awards in health services including Hands, Al-khidmat, BIDE, NIBD, PWA, POB, HOPES, SINA Health, Child Life, Omair Sana Foundation, Blood Banking, Child Aid Foundation, Bait us Sakoon, Cyber Knife at JPMC and Endoscopic Suit (Surgical Unit IV CHK).
Professor Saeed Quraishy said private sector should come forward and join hands with the government, especially in the area of primary health where government alone could not alleviate the sufferings of the people and urged the private health sector to support the authorities and health department in improving health facilities in district Tharparkar.
"Condition of health services in various Talukas in Tharparkar is not satisfactory and without private health sector's help, no relief can be provided to people of Thar by the government alone," he said and added that government had asked the public health Universities to establish medical camps to save lives of dying children in Tharparkar.
"We are going to establish medical camps in various Talukas in Tharparkar in coming days but this is a short-term solution. Sustained efforts are required to improve health status of Tharparkar by providing employment facilities to people of arid zone," he added.