Sindh lawmakers adopt unanimous resolution to pay tribute to Bhittai

Questions raised concerning shortage of doctors, ARVs in Sindh

KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly met for two and a half hours on Tuesday. During this time, the provincial assembly left its entire agenda unaddressed - with the exception of the question-answer session - and instead passed a unanimous resolution to pay homage to Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai on his 276th Urs, the celebrations for which began on Monday. In the question-answer session, it was the health department which came under scrutiny.

'A gardener is no doctor'

During the question-answer session, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPAs raised the issue of a health centre in Benazirabad where a gardener is allegedly running the show. "I have come to know that there isn't any doctor at the basic health centre and gardener is running it," said PTI MPA Saeed Afridi.

Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho denied the allegation. "The honourable MPA is making an incorrect statement on the floor of the house. It is totally wrong."

At this PTI MPA Haleem Adil Shaikh stood up and said, "The health minister cannot use such words against an MPA. He is not misguiding the house. She should not use non-parliamentary words," he said.

"I have checked. A gardener can't work as a doctor," said Dr Pechuho in response.

Shortage of doctors

When asked about the shortage of doctors in Sindh, she said that her department had written to the Sindh Public Services Commission to conduct competitive exams for the appointment of doctors.

"We are introducing the biometric system in public hospitals and basic health centres to ensure the attendance of doctors. The action would be taken against absentees," said Dr Pechuho.

Raising the issue of anti-rabies vaccines (ARVs), PTI MPA Khurram Sher Zaman said that nearly 18 people fall victim to dog-bites every day but ARVs aren't available in Sindh. Dr Pechuho said that this was untrue as there were around 17,000 ARVs available at various government hospitals and in case a facility was without the vaccination, ARVs were available at the district hospitals.

Referring to the hepatitis survey, the health minister said that the last survey was conducted in 2007 and the provincial government has been providing medicines to HIV positive persons free of charge. When asked about the HIV screening test, she said that the department was going to draft a new policy for the HIV screening test.

With regards to Hepatitis C, Dr Pechuho said that around 6,000 patients were registered with the government and they were receiving medication each month. "We prescribe a 12 weeks course to Hepatitis C patients. This disease is curable," she said.

The minister conceded that there were no ventilator machines in Sanghar district hospital and patients in critical condition were being referred to Hyderabad or Karachi. However, she added, there are around six ventilators in Teaching Hospital in Benazirabad. "We are expanding the ICU of the hospital and development work is going on," she said.

Honouring Sufi saint

The joint resolution to pay homage to Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai was moved by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Qasim Siraj Soomro, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) MPA Muhammad Hussain, PTI MPA Haleem Adil Shaikh and Grand Democratic Alliance MPA Nand Kumar Goklani. The lawmakers stressed on Bhittai's message of love, peace, and tolerance, in their speeches. "The world is fighting on different issues. There is a dire need to spread the message of Sufism," said Soomro.

MQM-P's Hussain said that Bhittai's message should not be confined to Sindh but it is applicable to the entire region, and the world at large. "His poetry revolves around humanity and is beyond religion," he said. 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 16^th, 2019.