Minister calls for withdrawal of additional charge from secretary

Importance of two projects in health department - one for digitalisation and other for health insurance

KARACHI:

Sindh Health Minister, Dr Saad Khalid Niaz has called for withdrawal of additional charge of the health department from the health secretary.

The objections were raised by the chief secretary before the provincial cabinet discussed the summary of the health secretary. The summary will be submitted to the caretaker health minister for approval.

Health minister stated in a special conversation with The Express Tribune that he had previously mentioned that he would express concern if he felt his powers were being interfered. He emphasised the importance of two projects in the health department - one for digitalisation and the other for health insurance.

Both projects were deemed crucial for the people of Sindh. The digitisation project, initiated from 2019 to 2021 with an expenditure of Rs380 million, faced challenges in revival despite several attempts.

Dr Saad Khalid Niaz asserted his efforts to overcome bureaucratic hurdles but expressed concern that the projects were not progressing efficiently.

Regarding the health insurance project, obstacles came up, and even the health secretary displayed a lack of interest. Dr Niaz discovered a summary related to JDC, indicating an annual payment of Rs2 billion for the next ten years.

He found this to be beyond the mandate of the caretaker setup and voiced his concerns through letters to chief secretary, chief minister, and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) chief.

The caretaker minister clarified that his issue is not with the institution but with the method. He emphasised the importance of communication and transparency, expressing disappointment at being bypassed. The objections raised by the chief secretary on December 29, 2023, led to the exclusion of the summary from the agenda, and now it will be reviewed by the health minister.

Dr Niaz stressed the need to strengthen government institutions, particularly paying attention to the pending approvals for essential needs in hospitals. He criticised the approvals for JDC, bypassing him, especially at a time when there are pressing requirements in government hospitals.

He expressed his dissatisfaction with the actions of the health secretary and announced that appropriate action would be taken against him for violating established procedures.

Upon seeking clarification from the health secretary, it was revealed that the chief minister had given instructions in this regard. The health secretary urged the chief minister to address these instructions and shed light on the situation.

The behaviour of health secretary, as mentioned by Dr. Niaz, indicates a reluctance to work, contributing to the negative perception of the bureaucracy.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2024.