Huge funds for healthcare: Murad

KARACHI: Sindh chief minister Murad Shah said that the Sindh government has spent huge funds for betterment of health sector.

In his budget speech he said that the government has engaged private sector for operation and management of health facilities at Primary and Secondary level. In this context, management & operation of 1210 health facilities including Dispensaries, Basic Health Units, Rural Health Centres, MCH Centres along with few THQ and DHQ Hospitals have been entrusted to PPHI and other non-governmental organizations. In view of success of the initiative Government plans to expand Public Private Partnership.

The allocation for Health sector is Rs.85.3 billion on Non-Development side and Rs.15.50 billion on Development side during current financial 2017-18, whereas, during next Financial Year 2018-19 Rs.12.2 billion has been allocated on non-development side and Rs.12.50 billion on development side.

Whereas new schemes of Health sector will be accommodated under the provision of Rs.50 billion earmarked separately as block allocation for new schemes for all sectors in ADP 2018-19.

Giving highlights of Sindh government performance Murad Ali Shah said in 2017-18, 68 new uplift schemes of Rs.5.12 billion, including RHCs, Trauma-cum-Emergency Centers and construction of warehouses at all divisional HQRs for cold storage facility. Four schemes of up-gradation of RHC, to THQ Hospitals and establishment of Cancer Ward at NIMRA, Jamshoro at the cost of Rs.1.086 billion.

EPI operational budget under Sindh Immunization Support Program is increased from Rs.100 million to Rs.1.80 billion. Expansion of 2160 LHWs is proposed at a cost of Rs.982.31 million in addition to 1063 LHWs under Thar Package.

He acknowledge the services rendered by National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) which is the biggest center for the treatment of heart attack and primary angioplasty in the world. Currently six chest pain units are functional in Karachi and 60 more such chest pain units will be set up in different areas of the province.

They are  NICVD satellite centers at Tando Muhammad Khan, Larkana, Hyderabad and Sehwan in collaboration with the government of Sindh. Soon three more NICVD centers will be made functional at Nawab Shah, Khairpur and Mithi in the year 2018. Grant for NICVD has been enhanced from Rs.5.769 billion to Rs.8.094 billion for next financial year.