SHC wants to know if action was taken against negligent officers

Health secretary directed to disclose a plan for the construction of the dilapidated building of the Umerkot hospital.

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) questioned the authorities on Tuesday on what action has been taken against officers, particularly the deputy commissioners and relief commissioners, and doctors absent from their duties in Tharparkar district, where more than 200 people have died reportedly due to a drought.

Headed by Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar, the bench raised these queries while hearing a petition seeking an inquiry into the recent deaths, mostly of women and children. The judges directed the health secretary to submit a report, explaining what action was taken against the doctors who were absent from their duties since their appointment.

It also wants to know what measures have been taken to minimise the shortage of doctors, especially gynaecologists, in district headquarter hospitals in Umerkot. The health secretary was directed to disclose a plan for the construction of the dilapidated building of the Umerkot hospital. The judges instructed that all such information should be provided to them hospital-wise, facility-wise, area-wise and major unit-wise.

The bench noted that it had raised various queries on the exact food supply system in the province, particularly in the Tharparkar region, but they have yet to be addressed. The bench also called for information on the composition of a fact-finding committee constituted by the government to probe the recent deaths and the submission deadline for its report. The judges summoned the secretaries of the revenue and relief departments to address these queries on March 25.

Health report

Earlier, the district and sessions judge, Suresh Kumar, submitted his report on the health facilities and relief operations. According to the Umerkot district health officer's data, 44 people died at different hospitals from which seven deaths took place in the areas affected by drought.

Even though medicines are available at all health centres, there is an acute shortage of medical officers across Umerkot district, where 281 posts of medical officers are lying vacant from the total strength of 401, said the report. The Umerkot district government said 167,229 people have been affected due to drought and parts of the district have been declared as drought-affected. 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2014.