Misconduct and negligence: Seven health officers issued show-cause notices

KARACHI:

A total of seven public health officials, including two from Rescue 1122, have been issued show-cause notices for their alleged negligence.

These officials were working for various public health facilities in the city. Show-cause notices were issued to Sobhraj Maternity Home Hospital's medical superintendent Dr Muhammad Ali, additional medical superintendent Dr Saleem Bholawala and deputy medical superintendent Dr Mumtaz Bashir.



Other officials to receive the warning include Karachi Development Authority wing's chief medical officer Dr Saleem Memon, Rescue 1122 focal person Dr Anwer Sohail, Rescue 1122 ambulance transport incharge Muhammad Fazal and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital's casualty medical officer Dr Afaq. Apart from these seven officials, warnings have been issued to the other casualty medical officers at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Dr Azhar and Dr Soofia.

These notices were issued on the directives of Karachi administrator Roshan Ali Shaikh during his visit to various heatstroke relief centres on Thursday. "Any misconduct or irresponsible attitude of officials deputed on emergency duties will not be tolerated," said Shaikh.

Karachi Metropolitan Corporation's senior health director Dr Salma Kausar Ali told The Express Tribune that Shaikh found several officers missing from duty during his visit to the camps. Some of them were being negligent and were caught red-handed, she added. "A doctor at one of the camps had prescribed an ultrasound to a poor patient when he was supposed to carry it out himself," she explained.

"Even the incharge of the poly clinic, Dr Saleem Memon, has been given the notice as he was also not found on duty," she said. For his part, Dr Memon said that it is his job to visit other hospitals on his panel which is why he was not present when the administrator came to visit.

The Rescue 1122 ambulance service does not have any drivers nor does it have money for petrol, he pointed out. He felt these notices were merely a way to woo the media.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4^th, 2015.