Karachi:Keeping in mind shortage lady Medico-Legal Officers (MLOs) at Medico-Legal Department of Karachi, Sindh health department has increased posts of female MLOs from 09 to 29.
Karachi Police Surgeon, Dr Qarar Abbasi, while talking to PPI, said Sindh government has raised those posts from nine to 29 in budget 2020-21 out of which eight had already joined the department. He informed that rest posts would be filled soon.
He added that these lady MLOs had been posted in Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. He explained that Karachi is Pakistan’s most populous city where crime ratio is high.
“The number of sanctioned posts has been increased from 71 to 91 with addition of 20 new female MLOs,” he added. Dr Abbasi said training of newly posted lady MLO was underway to reduce burden on senior female MLOs. The posting of lady MLOs will help dispose of fresh cases of rape, lady injured and bodies within proper time.
Dr Qarar Abbasi said ideally there should be at least four women and six male MLOs in every hospital, but new doctors are less concerned and not interested in entering in the medico legal sector. He informed that the MLOs report containing the cause of death, time of death, nature of death, and other details compiled in an official form at the time of autopsy provides the basis for a court’s case, carrying an impact on the final decision.
He explained that the plan to make functional Medico-Legal Centres at Sindh Government Lyari General Hospital, Sindh Government Hospital Liaquatabad, Sindh Government Hospital New Karachi and Sindh Government Hospital Korangi has not materialized yet due to shortage of male and female MLOs in the city.