Hospital split plan sparks backlash

MQM-P warns of resistance to proposed LUH separation, cites decline in services

HYDERABAD:

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan has warned of resisting the provincial government's plan to administratively separate Hyderabad and Jamshoro based branches of Liaquat University Hospital (LUH).

At a press conference at Hyderabad press club on Thursday, the party's MPAs said a recent meeting of the LUH's board pondered over a proposal to separate Hyderabad based tertiary hospital from the Jamshoro located hospital, operating in premises of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences.

MPA Sabir Qaimkhani said the hospital, established in 1951, is of prime importance for the citizens. Being the largest health facility, it also provides health services to patients from almost all parts of the province, he added.

He deplored that the notable citizens of Hyderabad find no place in the hospital's board. He lamented that no accountability existed over the hospital's utilisation of its Rs four billion budget as a majority of the patients visiting the health facility are seen complaining about poor health services and for not receiving free medicines.

The MPA argued that the hospital has witnessed a decline in service quality since the vice chancellor of LUMHS was given its administrative control. Qaimkhani bemoaned that machines in vital health departments like cardio wards are lying redundant or defected as patients are being referred to private health facilities for such diagnostic tests.

MPA Rashid Khan advocate said the hospital's staff strength has almost halved since 2013 but the vacancies are not being filled. "The cardiac unit is being run like a dispensary."

He pointed out that as a consequence the patients' flow has massively increased towards the branch of National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in Hyderabad.

The MPAs called for immediately approving the SNE of the new medical college in Gulistan-e-Sarmast locality in Kohsar, Hyderabad.

MPA Nasir Qureshi said the government had promised to make the LUH's burns ward functional but the pledge has not been honoured so far.