The Sindh Healthcare Commission (SHCC) is being criticised since its inception in 2014 for not taking stern action against quacks, but, blackmailing health practitioners, representative body of health professionals said.
Senior doctors affiliated with Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) on Monday alleged that SHCC has crossed all limits for manipulating its recent elections for commissioners.
Sharing the details of the elections held on August 16, Dr Mirza Ali Azhar said that despite fair polls conducted in the presence of Sindh Health Minister Dr Azhra Pechuho and department's secretary, the SHCC has 'illegally' conducted the same exercise on ctober 25. "What about the elections? What about the legal process we witnessed and elected our seven members?" he questioned.
Dr Azhar said that Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had to notify the commissioners but the new 'exercise' revealed that the SHCC and health department were not satisfied with the honest and hardworking doctors selected through a fair and transparent process.
Criticising the body and its performances during the last eight years, PMA Karachi's General Secretary Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro said, "It [law] does not have any worth if it is not implemented in later and spirit."
He said that the primary job of the SHCC is to take stern action against the increasing number of fake doctors who are playing with the lives of the citizens. "It seems quackery is being legalised," he alleged.
"Anyone can open a clinic and no one will stop its operation," said Dr Azhar. "Did we strive hard day and night to see this day?" he questioned, adding that PMA was the first organisation that wanted an Act on such illegal practices. "I feel apologetic today."
PMA President Dr Muhammad Usman Mako said that it was an important and pressing issue that SHCC should work according to the law. He said that the idea of setting up body like SHCC was to improve the healthcare delivery system, protect the rights of patients and doctors and also maintain a system of checks and balances. "None of goals have been achieved so far," he claimed.
Dr Azhar shared the recent incident at a private hospital where a patient died during the treatment. "An FIR was lodged against the senior doctors," he said. And, he added, the SHCC is silent. "No FIR can be registered against any healthcare professional or worker unless it is proved as a case of negligence," he mentioned.
The senior doctors also alleged that SHCC has been involved in harassment of senior doctors and promoting corruption. They demanded of the CM to take notice of the situation.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2022.
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