Sindh to introduce liver transplantation facilities

Govt has already allocated Rs1b to the project in the upcoming budget.

KARACHI:

Sindh has decided to introduce liver transplantation in the upcoming budget, making it the first province in Pakistan to do so.

To launch this scheme, the Sindh government has allocated Rs1 billion in the upcoming budget, which will be presented by Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Friday (June 13).  The centre for the transplantation of liver will be set up at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) next to Civil Hospital, Karachi.

"Right now, people suffering from liver diseases go to India and other countries for a liver or hepatic transplantation," said a senior official working in the planning and development department. "We have allocated a budget and will start working on this scheme with the help of donor organisations and philanthropists next year."

Other health schemes

According to sources in the health department, around 824 health-related schemes worth Rs12 billion have been proposed in the upcoming budget. The final draft of the health budget, available with The Express Tribune, revealed that the government plans to focus on the establishment of medical colleges and hospitals in the province.

According to the official budget documents, a medical college and a teaching hospital will be established in Latifabad, Hyderabad, for which Rs2 billion have been earmarked. Similarly, the government is going to set up a medical college in Thatta by upgrading Civil hospital to a teaching facility; Rs500 million has been allocated for this.

Medical colleges have also been proposed in Landhi, Karachi, and Benazirabad. Meanwhile, a 500-bed hospital will be established in Jamshoro for which Rs20 million has been allocated.



Since there are no dialysis centres in rural Sindh, the government has decided to provide dialysis machines at all civil hospitals. "Around Rs700 million have been allocated for it," an official said. Apart from providing the equipment, the government has also spared funds to provide a security system and command and establish control centres at all teaching hospitals in Sindh. The estimated cost of the scheme is Rs300 million. A medical tower worth Rs500 million has been proposed at the Gambat Institute of Medical Science, Khairpur, where all basic health facilities will be provided along with centres for dialysis, cardio and burns.

Trauma centres on highways

Given the large number of fatal accidents on highways and a lack of facilities to deal with them, the provincial government has also proposed to establish two trauma centres on National and Super highways by allocating Rs500 million. Each centre will be established at a distance of 100 kilometres. "In case of an emergency on Super Highway, the critically injured are shifted to Karachi which results in a loss of precious lives," pointed out health minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed. "Therefore, trauma centres equipped with all surgical facilities will be set up along the highways."

Meanwhile, experts are of the opinion that these projects need to be implemented rather than just allocating funds for them. "A trauma centre was announced at Civil Hospital, Karachi, in 2009-2010 with an estimated cost of Rs1.2 billion but it has yet to be completed even after six years," said Dr Kaiser Sajjad, a senior office bearer of the Pakistan Medical Association. The estimated cost of this 15-floor building has mounted to Rs6.2 billion, he added.

An official in the planning and development department clarified that they have written to the higher authorities to penalise the project director for delaying the project.

Budget cuts

Last year, Rs17 billion was allocated for development schemes in the health department but the government is likely to slash the budget now given the financial constraints. "The officials have been asked to slash 28% of the health budget as compared to the current fiscal year, which means the budget will fall down to Rs12 billion," said a finance department official. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2014.