Cabinet approves procurement of 60 ambulances

Clears breastfeeding law, upgrades posts of JPMC; forms panel to review Hindu Marriage Act

KARACHI:

Sindh cabinet on Monday approved the procurement of 60 ambulances, including 30 mobile vans, cleared the breastfeeding law to ensure breastfeeding of children for three years, and upgraded posts of Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre (JPMC) from grade nine to 14 and onward.

The meeting chaired by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah was attended by provincial ministers, advisors, special assistants, chief Secretary and Advocate General Sindh etc.

As the meeting started, the Minister for Health Dr Azra Pechuho while briefing the cabinet about the shortage of ambulances in various districts of Sindh said that there was a need for the procurement of 60 ambulances, including 30 mobile medical vans and five mobile laboratories for which Rs2 billion were required.

The cabinet was told that the purpose of procuring ambulances, medical vans, and laboratories was to link Gaucher's Diseases (GDs) with primary and secondary care units; rapid medical assessment and treatment; transport of patients; and to support rescue operations.

It was pointed out that mobile medical units would be utilized in settings where medical facilities were limited or inaccessible. The mobile laboratory would be used in disease outbreak investigation, rapid diagnostic testing, surveillance and monitoring, environmental testing, and support for field hospitals and medical teams.

The ambulances would be included in the fleet of Rescue 1122. The cabinet approved the request and funds for the purpose.

The cabinet meeting also discussed breastfeeding law and approved "Sindh Protection and Promotion of Breastfeeding and Young Child Nutrition Act, 2023"

Health minister added that it was expedient to ensure safe and adequate nutrition for infants and young children up to the age of 36 months by promoting protecting and supporting breastfeeding, promoting healthy diets to prevent obesity and non-communicable diseases and regulating the marketing and promotion of designated products including breast milk substitutes, and of feeding bottles, valves for feeding bottles, nipple shields, teats, and pacifiers.

Under the Act, the government would establish a 22-member board under the chairperson Standing Committee on Health, Sindh Assembly. The functions of the board include framing regulations, advising standards of designated products, and proposing guidelines to the government to establish an effective monitoring system as per WHO/UNICEF protocol.

The cabinet was told if any business or any person on behalf of the business contravenes any provision of this Act would be punished as per law. There would be a provision of appeal against the punishment in the law.

The cabinet also approved the provincial health ministry's proposal of 1975 special cadre doctors posts and directed the health department to promote the postgraduate doctors who have completed their length of service making necessary changes in the recruitment rules so that they could be posted against the specialist cadre in grades BS-18.

The issue was raised when the Minister Health informed the cabinet that there was a sanctioned strength of 1,975 Specialist Cadre Doctors (BS-18), against which only 947 were working and 1,028 were vacant.

Health minister said that the medical officers, BS-17, having postgraduate degrees in the relevant field could be posted against the posts of special cadre B-18, to curtail the shortage of doctors for the smooth running of hospitals in the province.

The cabinet also approved the creation of 455 posts of new specialties posts in teaching hospitals, including physical specialties, surgery specialties, allied specialties, and other human resources. These positions are for grades BS-17, 18, and 19.

Upgradation of JPMC posts

The cabinet after discussion approved the proposal of the Health department and upgraded the posts of Accountant from grade BS-9 to BS-14, cashier, accountant, telephone operator, receptionist, and board operator from Grade BS-7 to BS-14. The post of stenographer of BS-16 was upgraded to BS-17 and the post of Steno Typist from grade BS-14 to BS-16.

The cabinet, acknowledging the services of Dr Sikandar Mendhro named Civil Hospital Badin after him. During the meeting the issue of Hindu Marriage Act was discussed. After the minorities minister's presentation on the issue, the cabinet pointed out that the court has given guidelines for the implementation of the Hindu Marriage Act. It constituted a committee to make the law in accordance with the court guidelines.

Transport Minister Sharjeel Memon through a video link briefing the cabinet said that his department will induct 500 more buses to induct in Peoples Bus Service to facilitate the poor segment of the society at large.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2023.