KARACHI: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led Federal Government has allocated PKR 13 billion for the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Sheikh Zaid Hospital Lahore, and other health facilities.
As per the budget book, PKR 13 billion has been allocated for hospitals run by the Federal government, including the Sheikh Zaid Hospital Lahore, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, National Institute of Child Health, and others.
The administrative control of these hospitals has been handed over to the Sindh and Punjab governments under the 18th amendment. The PPP led Sindh Government had significantly raised the budget of these three hospitals. However, it as been unable to hire doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff as employees filed a constitutional petition against handing over these health facilities.
The JPMC, NICH, NICVD, and Sheikh Zaid Hospital’s administrative control were handed over to the Federal Government again in 2019 on the order apex court.
Earlier, the Federal Government took over administrative control of these three major hospitals of the Sindh province including the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), and National Institute of Child Health (NICH).
The notification issued by the Federal Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Control, said that in pursuance of the Supreme Court of Pakistan's judgment dated 17/01/2019 and with the approval of Federal Cabinet dated 02/04/2019, three of Karachi’s major hospitals have been restored to the Federal Government and placed under the administrative control of the Ministry of National Health Services, Islamabad, along with its components, assets, and staff as indicated in the apex court decision.
President, Pakistan Paramedical Staff Association, JPMC Unit, Haq Nawaz Sial, lauded the Federal Government for allocating the budget for hospitals and demanded the recruitment of doctors and other staff to compensate for the shortage.
-DN Report
Dr Muattar Hanif
The author is Editor at Dental News Pakistan and can be reached at newsdesk@medicalnewsgroup.com.pk
