KARACHI: The Sindh Health Care Commission (SHCC) has made significant strides in its fight against quackery, sealing a total of 989 illegal clinics across the province from January to June 2023.
As part of its ongoing efforts to curb quackery practices in Sindh, the SHCC conducted extensive inspections in various cities including Sukkur, Larkana, Mirpurkhas, Shaheed Benazirabad, Hyderabad, and Karachi. During these inspections, a total of 2,868 hospitals and clinics were examined, resulting in the closure of 989 quackery outlets. Additionally, warnings were issued to 1,000 non-compliant establishments, while 879 outlets were found to be in compliance with regulations.
In a bid to improve healthcare standards, the SHCC also provided training on Minimum Service Delivery Standards to 192 general practitioner clinics/hospitals, 64 Tibb-Unani matabs, and 93 homeopathic clinics during the same period.
Moreover, the SHCC granted 477 Registration Certificates, 54 Provisional Licenses, and 11 Regular licenses to private and public healthcare facilities in Sindh from January to June 2023. These licenses ensure that healthcare establishments adhere to quality standards and prioritize patient safety.
Addressing concerns about the quality of services, Dr. Ahson Qavi Siddiqi, the CEO of SHCC, emphasized the commission's commitment to promoting quality care and patient safety in both public and private healthcare facilities. As part of these efforts, 650 public and private healthcare facilities were awarded Provisional licenses. To further ensure compliance, the SHCC conducted comprehensive inspections at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), one of the country's largest hospitals, for the regular licensing process.
Dr. Siddiqi also highlighted SHCC's involvement in the National Health Support Project, funded by the World Bank, which aims to strengthen the services of the Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI), the largest publicly funded network. Additionally, SHCC has initiated collaborations with prominent public-funded medical institutes such as the Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences and Syed Abdullah Shah Institute of Medical Science Sehwan to enhance their capacity and streamline their licensing process under the commission.
The SHCC's actions reflect its dedication to improving healthcare services, enhancing patient safety, and eliminating quackery in the Sindh province.