KARACHI:Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar on Friday urged the Sindh government to give ownership and grant to Karachi Metropolitan Corporation run hospitals, as it had given ownership to hospitals like Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and National Institute of Cardiovascular (NICVD) when these institutions came under Sindh government domain.
He was addressing the inauguration ceremony of Corneal Transplant Ward and restart of Phaco Emulsification Surgery at Spencer Eye Hospital Karachi.
The Corneal Transplant project was re-lunched by Spencer Eye Hospital in collaboration with Lions Club of Pakistan.
Waseem Akhtar said load shedding, chocked sewerage system and garbage heaps have become source of spreading vector diseases in the megacity and increasing patients’ burden on city hospitals.
He said as 98 per cent citizens cannot afford expenses of private hospitals; therefore, funds have been allocated for purchase of new medical equipment and medicines to improve overall condition of KMC-run health facilities.
He directed the Senior Director, Medical and Health Services (M and HS) Department, KMC, Dr Birbal Genani to constitute a committee of experts of get their feedback and ideas for improvement in 13 health facilities run by KMC.
Mayor Karachi requested the philanthropists of Karachi to come forward to improve patient care in KMC-run health facilities. He said Spencer Eye Hospital not only provides treatment of eye diseases and conducts surgeries for citizens of Karachi but patients from all over Pakistan and from abroad also avail these facilities.
Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Syed Saif-ur-Rehman said there is dire need to revive the past glory of Spencer Eye Hospital back by introducing postgraduate trainings in this oldest eye care hospital of Karachi.
He said provision of education and health facilities is the responsibility of the State.
Lion Abubakar Kareem of Lions Club of Pakistan said Lions Clubs works r for the betterment of community. He informed that Lions Club had donated four eyes for corneal transplantation and surgeries would be performed soon.
Eminent social worker Faisal Edhi said Spencer Eye Hospital is the oldest eye care hospital and pioneer in introducing many advance care facilities. He said this health facility need Sindh government attention to improve patient care.
Social Workers Faisal Edhi, Dr Niaz Barohi, Dr Birbal Genani and others also spoke on this occasion.