Transfer of hospitals to Centre on table again
Federal officials were briefed about the hospital’s budget, area, staff and the issues it has been facing
Representational Image PHOTO: REUTERS
KARACHI:
The federal government sought on Friday details of three of the most prominent hospitals of the city - Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) and the National Institute of Child Health (NICH).
State health minister Dr Zafar Mirza, along with federal officials and Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, held a meeting at Sindh Governor House with the heads of the hospitals and were briefed about the overall situation in the hospitals to place them under the federal government.
This was the first such meeting after the Supreme Court’s ruling that the transfer of JMPC, NICVD and NICH from the federal government to the province was unconstitutional even after the devolution of the health sector under the 18th Amendment.
Additional funds released for govt hospitals
As per the detailed judgment, these institutions were said not to fall within the concurrent legislative list as required by Clause (8), read with Clause (9) of Article 270AA of the Constitution. The apex court, in November 2019, had accepted the request of the federal government, allowing it six weeks’ time to prepare a working paper finalising modalities for the implementation of the court orders and making the transfer smooth for all concerned stakeholders.
“We just informed them about what they asked for,” said JPMC executive director Dr Seemin Jamali. She said that the federal officials were briefed about the hospital’s budget, area, staff and the issues it has been facing. “The promotions of hospital staff have been pending for the last 10 years,” she added.
Speaking to the Express Tribune, NICH director Dr Jamal Raza said that he also briefed the meeting about the overall situation of the hospital, including its budget and staff. He said that it was the second such meeting for him, as he had already held a meeting with President Dr Arif Alvi. “The federal officials will come back again,” he added.
With additional reporting from APP
Published in The Express Tribune, December 28th, 2019.
The federal government sought on Friday details of three of the most prominent hospitals of the city - Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) and the National Institute of Child Health (NICH).
State health minister Dr Zafar Mirza, along with federal officials and Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, held a meeting at Sindh Governor House with the heads of the hospitals and were briefed about the overall situation in the hospitals to place them under the federal government.
This was the first such meeting after the Supreme Court’s ruling that the transfer of JMPC, NICVD and NICH from the federal government to the province was unconstitutional even after the devolution of the health sector under the 18th Amendment.
Additional funds released for govt hospitals
As per the detailed judgment, these institutions were said not to fall within the concurrent legislative list as required by Clause (8), read with Clause (9) of Article 270AA of the Constitution. The apex court, in November 2019, had accepted the request of the federal government, allowing it six weeks’ time to prepare a working paper finalising modalities for the implementation of the court orders and making the transfer smooth for all concerned stakeholders.
“We just informed them about what they asked for,” said JPMC executive director Dr Seemin Jamali. She said that the federal officials were briefed about the hospital’s budget, area, staff and the issues it has been facing. “The promotions of hospital staff have been pending for the last 10 years,” she added.
Speaking to the Express Tribune, NICH director Dr Jamal Raza said that he also briefed the meeting about the overall situation of the hospital, including its budget and staff. He said that it was the second such meeting for him, as he had already held a meeting with President Dr Arif Alvi. “The federal officials will come back again,” he added.
With additional reporting from APP
Published in The Express Tribune, December 28th, 2019.