Sindh to manage JPMC, NICH through oversight panel

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KARACHI:

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has said that in 2011, the bed capacity of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) was 1,185, supported by 2,339 employees, but his government increased the capacity to 2,208 beds by 2024; however, the staff strength has declined to 1,498.

The CM noted that free medical treatment is a fundamental right of all citizens, yet millions of patients are being denied this right due to the failure to employ 2,025 new contractual workers. Furthermore, 2,025 individuals are being denied their fundamental right to employment due to a court stay involving 19 employees.

To address these issues, the Oversight Committee (OSC) must ensure that hospitals operate efficiently so that no individual or group interferes with patients' fundamental rights.

He has decided to manage two hospitals, the JPMC and the National Institute of Child Health (NICH), through the OSC. He also instructed his legal team to restore the Executive Director of JPMC to ensure that the largest hospital in the country can function properly in the public interest.

This decision in this regard was made during the first OSC meeting at the CM House on Saturday.

The OSC for JPMC and NICH is authorised to make all decisions related to these hospitals for 25 years, from August 8, 2023, to August 7, 2048, unless the federal government grants management and operational control to the Sindh government. The OSC is responsible for planning and managing all aspects, including human resources, to ensure quality medical care for patients.

Rescue 1122's Highway Operations launched

CM Murad inaugurated Rescue 1122's new Highway Operations, a significant expansion of the province's emergency response capabilities.

The launch, part of the World Bank-supported Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project (SFERP), establishes 15 strategically located satellite stations along major highways and motorways, providing rapid emergency assistance to travellers and nearby communities.

The new Highway Rescue Stations, exemplified by the newly opened facility in Gulshan-e-Maymar, are equipped with advanced ambulances, fire trucks, disaster management machinery, and recovery vehicles.