KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that he was keen to make National Institute of Child Health (NICH) a world-class institute providing it all the facilities, including upgraded and extended building.
He took this decision while presiding over a meeting held regarding up gradation of the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) here at the CM House.
The NICH is one of the best institutes like NICVD and SIUT but it has to further improve itself by taking some administrative and professional measures such as appointment of specialists, creation of administrative cadre and construction of additional block.
He approved Rs20 million for purchase of 1500kv generator and other equipment it needs urgently.
You can move a separate request for other funds and facilities, if you need,” he directed the director of the institute.
The NICH is a 500-bed hospital that provides healthcare facilities to the patients of Sindh and Balochistan.
The outside patient ratio is around 40 percent.
The meeting was attended by Minister Health Dr Sikandar Mendhro, Secretary Health Dr Fazal Pechuho, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajpoot, Prof Syed Jamal Raza, Director NICH Prof Jamal Raza, Prof Khalid Mehmood and Prof Jamshed Akhter.
Giving presentation to the chief minister, Prof Jamal Raza said that during previous year 126,184 patients were seen in NICH. He added that in primary health care immunization clinic, family planning, well baby clinic. General OP has TB clinic, asthma clinic, epilepsy clinic and specialized clinic paediatric nephrology clinic, paediatric endocrine clinic, paediatric diabetic clinic paediatric dermatology clinic, paediatric dermatology clinic and paediatric haematology oncology clinic.
The chief minister was told that the two surgical units with 80 bed, surgical ICU 10-bed, surgical ICU 10, surgical ITC 15 beds and Burns 20. Surgical department recorded 43,371 out patients, 6476 admission, and 11055 surgical surgeries.
In the hospital 4, 29,111 patients’ lab tests were conducted last year.
There is a blood bank. There is also an emergency department where 1, 84,009 patients were treated during 2016. An Oncology Unit was established in 1999.
He said that on the directives of the chief minister he is going to establish a new Paediatric Surgical complex over an area of two acres.
In the complex surgical block, rehabilitation centre, haematology, bone marrow transplantation and molecular genetics & Research departments would be established.
The land belongs to Pakistan Army Welfare Trust and its market cost would come to R1120 million.
On this, the chief minister directed his principal secretary to talk to the Pak Army Trust and request them to support the cause of the hospital. However, his government would pay the market price of the land.
The director requested the chief minister to allow health allowance to NICH staff as is being given to JPMC. The chief minister directed him to send the proposal with recommendation and he would approve it. “I would be happy to give incentives to your staff because they are doing good job,” he said and added he wanted to see the NICH health one of best hospitals of the country.
He also took up the case of promotions from grade B-1 to B-17and fresh appointments of lower grade employee. The chief minister asked him to promote the employees who promotions are due. But these promotions must be made purely on merit.
The chief minister was told that there were 594 employees in NICH and he requested the chief minister for giving them the facility of self-hiring (house rent for devolved cadre). On this the chief minister asked him to send a proposal so that it could be considered.
The chief minister was also told that there were 280 vacant positions and 870 doctors, nurses, paramedics and others have to be promoted.
The chief minister directed the director NICH to establish satellite centers one at Lyari and other one at Hyderabad. “I want you to upgrade the institute to the level of NICVD and run it on that pattern,” he directed and added that he would provide all the facilities to him institute.
The chief minister also allowed creation of administrative positions to run the institute purely on professional basis.
He allowed recruitment of sanitary staff and said he would provide extra budget for construction of different blocks and face uplifting of the hospital.