Qaim seeks PMA's help for doctors presence in rural areas

Chief Minister of Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah has urged the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) to help government in ensuring presence of doctors transferred to health centers and hospitals in rural areas.
Addressing the doctors at the oath taking ceremony of PMA -Sindh office-bearers for 2011-2013 here on Saturday, he said non availability of experienced doctors and medical specialists in the government healthcare centers even in the sub-urban areas has appeared to be a major problem.
"Whenever doctors are transferred or even appointed at rural health centers, taluka hospitals or semi urban areas the administration is pressurised with recommendations from influential sector to prevent these transfers," said the chief minister.
This, he said has aggravated the menace of quackery in areas devoid of qualified medical experts and specialists. Syed Qaim Ali Shah said even at Lyari, within Karachi and at another well equipped hospital in a city like Sukkur there were several faculties vacant as qualified experts do not want to serve there.
These issues, he said had to be addressed while government is committed to solve all genuine problems faced by the medical community including significant raise in emoluments and salary, fool-proof security and proper promotion mechanism. He said as per directives of President Asif Ali Zardari, the Sindh government had constituted a committee comprising Finance Minister, Health Minister and Vice Chancellors of different medical universities to recommend measures for the benefit of doctors."In accordance to the committee's suggestion significant allocation has been made for health sector, with due attention towards well being of medical community in the upcoming budget," said Syed Qaim Ali Shah.
He said government has already initiated a mechanism for the welfare of young doctors and postgraduate trainees with specific reference to raise their stipend. "Doctors must also provide sense of ownership to the medical profession itself and the institution they belong to," said the chief minister. Public confidence must also be restored, he pointed out and assured that strict action will be taken against people responsible for resorting to violence against medical professionals in the hospitals.
Sindh Minister for Health, Dr Saghir Ahmed addressing the PMA oath-taking ceremony said the government must committed to counter the challenge of "brain drain" particularly of the doctors from the country. "There are numerous contributory factors ranging from inadequate career structure to low salary and poor job security to decline in personal and professional safety," said the minister.
Dr Saghir said being a medical doctor himself he was fully conscious of the problems faced by the doctors and fully understands," the sense of deprivation among doctors from Kashmore to Karachi". The newly elected President of PMA-Sindh, Dr Samrina Hashmi in her presentation requested the Chief Minister to announce a relief package for the doctors in the province.
She said the Health Commission Bill forwarded by Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), that specifically focusses on safety of doctors and regularisation as well as standardisation of private clinics and hospitals must be adopted by the government. Basic Health Units, Taluka Hospitals and District Government Hospitals must be upgraded so that post-graduate trainees may be trained there and held address the issue of non availability of doctors in rural areas.
President, PMA-Karachi, Professor Idrees Adhi said PMA would never support any such attempt that may violate the rights of the patients or deny medical treatment to them at the emergency departments. The ceremony was also addressed by senior physician and a former President of PMA-Sindh, Dr Badar Siddiqui who registered his concern about the growing distrust among patients and the doctors.
He also referred to emerging challenges, both professional and technical, needed to be addressed by the medical community through a pragmatic approach. Professor Hussain Lagbhari, the Election Commissioner of PMA -Sindh Polls, held on May seven at Bhitshah, Professor Tipu Sultan, PMA Center also addressed hundreds of doctors who attended the ceremony from all parts of the province.
Earlier, the elected office-bearers of PMA-Sindh for 2011-2013 took oath to their office. They included Samrina Hashmi (President), Dr Ghulam Hussain Qazi (President Elect), Dr Pir Manzoor Ali (General Secretary), Dr Shagufta Qureshi (Treasurer), Dr Bashir Ahmed Khaskhali (Vice President I), Dr Saeed Ahmed Memon (Vice President II. Dr Hamza Ali Panhwar (Joint Secretary I), Dr Muhammad Usman Mako (Joint Secretary-II).