Karachi mayor demands grants for KMC hospitals

'KMC's problems cannot be resolved until it receives complete share of funds'

KARACHI: Karachi mayor Wasim Akhtar has called for Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to release grants for departments and hospitals operating under Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), saying that the local government body is suffering a financial crisis and is unable to pay salaries to its employees.

He said while speaking at ceremony at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital on Saturday. The ceremony was held to mark the distribution of medical and surgical equipment by Houston Karachi Sisters Association to 14 hospitals operating under KMC.

Speaking on the occasion, the mayor pointed out that majority of patients at hospitals operating under KMC come from lower-income backgrounds and cannot afford to avail medical services at private hospitals.  "And we do not have enough resources to provide medical facilities to all the patients," he said. "KMC's problems cannot be resolved until we receive our complete share of funds."

Akhtar stated that due to the dried up financial resources, KMC has not been able to pay bills and consequently its gas supply has been suspended.

Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Syed Saifur Rehman also spoke on the occasion. He said that citizens need to work along with organisations operating in developed countries for the betterment of the country and urged the private sector to play its role in improving services at public hospitals. 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27^th, 2019.