KARACHI: The Sindh government has announced plans to upgrade emergency wards at major hospitals in the province to cater to the growing number of patients. Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah chaired a high-level meeting to discuss this urgent healthcare reform initiative.
The meeting was attended by senior health officials including Health Secretary Rehan Iqbal Baloach, CEO Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC), Prof. Shahid Rasool, CEO Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Trauma Center Dr. Muhammad Sabir Memon, MS Dr Ruth Civil Hospital KM Pfau Syed Khalid Bukhari, Director Abbasi Shaheed Hospital Dr Faisal Samdani and other key administrators. The discussions focused on improving the accessibility, quality and efficiency of emergency healthcare services in Sindh.
Chief Secretary Shah emphasized the commitment of Pakistan Peoples Party President Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to implement people-centric reforms in the health sector. The initiative aims to ensure timely and effective emergency care in response to the increasing patient load.
The results of a comprehensive data collection exercise presented during the meeting highlighted the immense pressure emergency rooms are under.
JPMC sees around 2,000 patients daily, which represents 60,000 monthly.
The Dr. Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital serves 1,800 patients daily, for a total of 54,000 monthly.
Other facilities, such as Sindh Government’s Lyari General Hospital and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Trauma Institute, are also reporting high daily volumes.
Overall, public hospitals in Sindh collectively treat approximately 10,000 emergency patients per day, which is more than 299,400 patients per month.
Chief Secretary Shah directed hospital administrators to draft detailed plans outlining specific improvements needed for emergency rooms. The Sindh government has assured its full support in terms of financial resources, recruitment of human resources and procurement of advanced medical equipment.
Hospital administrators welcomed the initiative and provided recommendations based on their facility’s requirements. Shah assured quick approval of the plans presented to accelerate the transformation process.
The Chief Secretary reiterated the Sindh government’s unwavering dedication to improving healthcare, particularly in emergencies, to provide timely and high-quality medical services. These improvements are expected to significantly improve the province’s healthcare capacity, benefiting patients across Sindh.
