Health centres handed over to HANDS left in limbo

Bureaucratic delay in funds transfer restricting private partner in making improvements

KARACHI: The 38 facilities health facilities in Bin Qasim Town and Gadap Town are in limbo even after 34 of them have been handed to a private partner, Health and Nutrition Development Society (HANDS), through a Public-Private Partnership.

The bureaucratic delay in handing over the facilities and the transfer of funds to run the 38 facilities has caused serious issues, such as incomplete hospitals, lack of electricity lines, absent staff and a lack of funds to run the hospitals.

Sindh General Hospital Murad Memon Goth, a 50-bed hospital, which was inaugurated by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in March, has started attracting patients but there is no arrangement currently available to cater to inpatients due to a lack of doctors and staff and a non-functional operation theatre. However, the hospital offers a variety of specialists during the day.



A patient, Mukhtiar, along with his three-year-old son Akbar, travelled around seven kilometres to visit the hospital for the first time. "My relative referred me to this hospital," said Mukhtiar, who wanted to see a paediatrician.

This hospital wasn't as good before as it is now, but it cannot admit patients, Mukhtiar said.

Another patient, Sakina from Ghafoor Basti in Malir, appreciated that she received medicines free of charge. However, the process took time due to an overflow of patients.

Patients come to government hospitals only when they get medicines free of charge, Sindh General Hospital Murad Memon Goth Medical Superintendent Dr Javed Sheikh told The Express Tribune.
This has been ensured by HANDS after taking control of the hospital, he added.



The outpatient department's capacity has increased from 100 patients to more than 300 patients, which is a sign that the facilities are performing well, Sheikh said.

Another government official who is working at the hospital, Dr Ghulam Murtaza, said the look of the hospital has changed. "This [place] is looking like a hospital [now] and the examination rooms and offices now have a tidy look," Murtaza said.

According to Murtaza, the facility has improved by 80% to 90% and soon surgeries will also be started, which will further increase the flow of patients.

However, he said, the doctors and technicians appointed by HANDS to fill vacant positions get paid more than the government employees. "Our financial benefits need to be at par with those appointed by HANDS with government approval," he said.



"Currently, there has been a clash of egos between the government employees and those being hired by HANDS to fill vacant positions," Murtaza said, adding that they will continue till the government facilities are being run under a Public-Private Partnership."

Gynaecologist Dr Farhana Ashraf, working in another health centre handed over to HANDS, said they are not able to perform C-sections, but normal deliveries take place throughout the day.

"[Since the hand over,] everyone now seems to do their duties with responsibility, whether it's the staff or doctors," said Ashraf.

Another dispensary handed over to HANDS, when visited by The Express Tribune, wore the look of a haunted place. However, Rasool Buksh, a dispenser responsible to run it was available and examining a patient. According to him, the flow of patients would only increase when the dispensary's condition improves.



Meanwhile, HANDS Monitoring Manager Maqbool Baloch told The Express Tribune they have been tangled with government procedures since they have to report to Public-Private Partnership node, District Health Officer, Town Health Officer and Sindh AG in all the cases, which takes time due to delays by government officials.

Out of the 38 facilities being handed over to HANDS, 34 are functional where some have deteriorated buildings and shortage of staff, said Baloch, adding that Sindh General Hospital Murad Memon Goth was on top of the priority list while the other facilities will be improved as soon as the remaining funds are transferred by the Sindh government to HANDS.