Standing committee on health: Member walks out, says federal officials are blasé

Committee meets at NICVD for routine check-up.

KARACHI:

A member of the Senate standing committee on health, Abdul Haseeb Khan, boycotted the meeting on Thursday when he learned that the federal health secretary and director-general were not showing up.

According to Khan, the officials’ “apathy” is a worrying sign as the devolution deadline, June 30, looms. The committee met at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) for a routine check-up.

The committee, chaired by Senator Kalsoom Perveen, discussed projects at the hospital as well as the flow of funds. Senators Saeeda Iqbal, Farhat Abbas, Rehana Yahya Baloch, Dr Khalid Mahmood Soomro, Abdul Raziq and Semeen Yusuf Siddiqi attended.

For the last three years, NICVD has been working on revamping its technical and medical facilities, with an emphasis on power generation, new medical equipment, angioplasty units, an air-conditioning plant and civil works along with the an overhaul of its electrical wiring. The projects were completed at a cost of Rs658 million and the committee will invite the prime minister to inaugurate them.

NICVD executive director Prof Shah Zaman Khan said the cardiovascular hospital has also started a private evening clinic for heart patients.

With additional input from APP

Published in The Express Tribune, April 22^nd, 2011.