SHC orders govt to approve posts at Liaquat University Hospital

Around 900 new posts created after completion of 12 new ADP schemes, says medical superintendent

HYDERABAD: With Liaquat University Hospital (LUH), a tertiary care facility providing health services to almost half of Sindh, coping with the shortage of staff, Sindh High Court (SHC) has ordered the Sindh government to approve the vacancies at the hospital.

The bench comprising Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and Justice Adnan Iqbal Chaudhry directed finance secretary on Wednesday to approve all the posts sanctioned for newly completed projects at LUH, Hyderabad and LUH, Jamshoro, within 10 days.

During the hearing, LUH Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Mobin Ahmed informed the court that 12 new annual development plan (ADP) schemes have been completed at LUH, which has resulted in the creation of 900 new posts. He added that although 305 posts have been sanctioned so far, a total of 877 among the newly created posts are still vacant.



"... the management is facing difficulties in coping with day to day improvements, considering that about 9,000 patients are examined daily at the OPD," the MS said. He also informed the court that, on recommendations of the former MS and Sindh health secretary, the provincial government had planned to increase the bed capacity to 2,000 beds at each of the two LUH branches.

"Repeatedly requests were made but so far no action has been taken," Ahmed said.

However, he remarked that in a recent meeting, chaired by Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah, planning and development secretary was ordered to increase the number of beds and associated facilities at LUH. The SHC ordered the planning and development secretary to submit the progress report in this regard on July 24.

Meanwhile, the court adjourned the hearing on the matter of alleged illegal recruitment at LUH till the next date. Additional advocate general told the court that an inquiry, conducted on the directives of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, found the recruitment process illegal.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2019.