LARKANA: The Sindh government had placed a released fund of Rs150 million allocated earlier for Chandka Medical College Hospital (CMCH) Larkana for running recently repaired and renovated Trauma Center, at the disposal of Institute of Trauma Karachi.
A letter by Dr Muhammad Asad Khatri, Section Officer (Budget), Health Department, addressed to the Finance Secretary, said no objection for handing over of building of Emergency Department and transfer of released funds of Rs150m of CMCH to SMBB Institute of Trauma Karachi, has already been issued by the CMCH Medical Superintendent
on 9th December 2022.
The letter further added: “It is pertinent to mention here that Finance Department has already released funds amounting to Rs150m (i-e75m for creation of 100 posts and Rs75m for non-salary items) in favour of CMCH during current financial year 2022-23, vide letter dated 22.11.2022 for which permission has been accorded by the health minister to take over the administrative control of the building of Trauma and Surgical and Medical Emergency Center, Larkana, along with all equipments and machinery procured through PC-1 component of operationalization of these facilities and also to take over the possession of installed machinery/equipment. Hence, it is requested that the funds be revised/re-allocated as grant-in-aid in favour of SMBB Institute of Trauma, Karachi, instead of CMCH.”
This has created a silent row and unrest within the CMCH doctors. When senior doctors were contacted on Sunday they declined to comment on record for fear of repercussions but off the record said that the government had expressed no confidence in the doctors of Larkana who have become so incompetent that they cannot even run and manage a 62-bed capacity Trauma Center despite the fact that they had been doing magnificent jobs where all the medical necessities have been fulfilled.
They said that the people of Larkana lost premiership, presidentship, chief ministership, ministership, Vice Chancellorship and now they were losing institutions gradually which was very tragic.
They said that the government should revisit the decision, post senior, competent, hard working doctors, stop extortion, allocate proper funds, replace outdated machinery, equipment and instruments, then the CMCH would start working; otherwise, it had lost its credibility for those reasons for which only health provider bosses could be blamed.
