KARACHI: Caretaker Chief Minister Sindh Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar on visit to Sindh Government Qatar Hospital ordered an overall inquiry and audit to ascertain reasons behind shortage of medicines, off-road ambulances, out of order some Lab machines and unsanitary conditions.

CM paid surprise visit to Sindh Government Qatar Hospital and went around wards, OPD, emergency, pharmacy, pediatric wards and inspected ambulance. CM expressed his displeasure with unsanitary condition of various wards where stretchers had dirty stained bed sheets and stench smell was felt everywhere. CM noticed that patients from two wards were ousted to clean them.

Justice Baqar met with patients and their attendants and most complained about non-availability of medicines. He visited medicine store where he was told that an order to purchase medicines had been placed on August 25, 2023, but delivery was yet to be received. CM personally checked purchasing order and talked to vendor on phone about provision of medicines within week, otherwise, hold him that he [vendor] would be blacklisted.

Woman met him in pharmacy and told him she was making trips to hospital for insulin, but it was unavailable. CM directed MS to arrange insulin for woman and report him. Insulin was arranged during his visit. CM noticed that some private medical stores were functioning inside government hospital. On his inquiry, he was told that hospital administration had issued them vacation orders, but they had got stay from court. CM ordered health department to pursue case and vacate stay so that their position could be taken over by hospital. 

Interim CM visited fleet of ambulances but most of them were out-of-order and off-road. He expressed his displeasure and directed Secretary Health Dr. Mansoor to inquire into matter and report him.

CM expressed his displeasure over unhygienic conditions of Hospital, its streets, wards, corridors, machines, pharmacy and ambulance service and directed Secretary of Health to conduct an inquiry and report him. He said action must be taken against delinquent officers.

He also visited Orangi Police Station where he inspected FIR register, lock up, 15 service, wireless room and malkhana and expressed his dismay and disappointment.

CM noticed that two heavy motorcycles of Shaheen Force lying abandoned at police station. Both bikes were dirty and out of order. CM said that government had given them heavy and costly motorcycles for patrolling, but police had abandoned them which was unacceptable. When CM checked 15 service it was nonfunctional and phone was not working. At this, CM expressed displeasure and directed DIG West to conduct an inquiry and report him.

Justice Baqar visited wireless service, but its connectivity had some problems. At this, CM asked SHO how he was getting connected with his force in field. CM also expressed displeasure with placement of case property, particularly bikes which had rusted, broken and were lying in shape of heaps of bikes inside police station.

CM visited weapon room but there was no proper logbook. CM directed police to follow SOP. interim SM Baqar directed DIG West Zone to keep all police stations in his areas neat and clean and develop an atmosphere where people could approach easily, in case of any complaint.

He directed DIG West to submit to him detailed inquiry report of all police stations of his zone, containing number of policemen and condition of equipment-wireless system, mobiles and ammunition and crime trend and ratio.

He also visited sub-registrar office Gulshan and Jamshed Town and met with people present there for registration issues. CM directed sub-registrars to work honestly and not to annoy people for personal interest. Sub-registrar offices earned bad name for government and now it must come to an end. Senior Member Board of Revenue Zahid Abbasi reached there and told CM that his IG Registration has started visiting sub-registrar offices so that their working could be improved. 

Besides at domicile office in District East where people complained to him that concerned officer had been transferred and therefore, they had not been issued domiciles for last three days, CM issued directives for posting of another officer and got domiciles issued by ADC-II then and there.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 20 2023

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