Healthcare in Sindh: LUMHS graduates get life lessons from CJP Jamali

He was addressing medical college’s convocation in which 358 students received their MBBS degrees

HYDERABAD: Quacks have replaced qualified doctors in Sindh and are playing with the lives of the poor people of the province, said Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Anwar Zaheer Jamali on Saturday.

He was addressing the 15th annual convocation of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences in Jamshoro as the chief guest. Some 358 students of Bachelor's of Medicine (MBBS), 93 of Bachelor's of Dental Surgery, 405 of Nursing and 56 postgraduates received their academic degrees.

The CJP expressed concern over the state of health facilities in Sindh. "I feel sad that in our province, a [large] number of ghost doctors working in the health organisations, which are [the] responsibility of the government, are drawing their salaries at home without performing duty, while in their place, unskilled and unqualified quacks are playing with [the] lives of the poor, deprived and simple people," he said. He observed that quackery is prevalent not only in small cities and rural areas but even the weaker segments of the society in Karachi are a victim of such charlatans. "Fake doctors are running clinics, dispensaries, laboratories, hospitals and maternity homes in Karachi," he said.



He asked the provincial government to come up with laws and execute actions without delay to stop this practice.

"The salaries and other allowances paid to the skilled and qualified doctors and paramedics are quite low," noted Justice Jamali, asking the government to immediately review this pay structure.

The CJP also referred to the low budgetary allocation on health, which is below the standards of World Health Organization (WHO). "There are 200,000 registered doctors in Pakistan but again the number doesn't meet the standard of the WHO's population-to-doctors proportion," he said. "Same is the case with the doctors-to-nurses ratio."

He deplored the shortage of public health police experts, health managers, dentists and midwives and the dearth of investment in increasing social security, health and related facilities. "In this backdrop, the young graduates like you are entering the professional life," he told the LUMHS graduates, advising them to discharge their obligations with commitment and dedication with the aim to improve people's lives.

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad and LUMHS vice-chancellor Dr Noshad A Shaikh also addressed the convocation earlier. Dr Shaikh talked about the recent achievements of the varsity, including the establishment of the first DNA testing lab in Sindh, which has 100 reports so far.

MBBS graduates Dr Mahjabeen Memon, Dr Romana and Dr Sadiq Shoukat and BDS graduates Dr Jaazib Memon, Dr Abdul Qudoos and Dr Fatima Nizamuddin were awarded gold, silver and bronze medals, respectively. Dr Mahjabeen and Dr Jaazib also received separate gold medals as the faculty toppers.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2016.