KARACHI: To highlight the performance, achievements and progress of healthcare during the previous year, the 'Annual Report 2020' of Provincial Ombudsman, Sindh, was recently submitted to Sindh Cheif Minister.
Sindh Ombudsman Ajaz Ali Khan submitted the Report to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, which carried details of the performance of provincial departments.
The claims about the improved healthcare system and medical facilities have come under a serious question as the provincial ombudsman in the annual Report has cited Sindh's healthcare as "deficient infrastructure and manpower." In this way, it exposed the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) annunciations about offering free treatment to people by stating that patients are not provided free medicines even in emergency cases.
It states that Karachi has not seen any new public-sector hospital becoming operational in so many years. Moreover, the quality of services at the existing and available healthcare facilities doesn't meet the required standards.
The report also mentions that low-income families have to bear "out of pocket expenses" in public sector hospitals of Sindh.
The report also unveils that the number of doctors and paramedical staff does not match the population throughout the province.
The ombudsman in the report mentions that while holding over 80 per cent of the province's health service infrastructure, the private healthcare service providers are mainly unregulated.
Therefore it highlights the need for the Sindh Healthcare Commission's (SHHC) effective role to check quackery and operations of private hospitals.
