Opposition MPAs in the Sindh Assembly criticised the government for lack of healthcare facilities in the districts of Sindh, but the treasury rejected the criticism, saying the government is upgrading hospitals. Speaking on Private Members' Day, the legislators expressed dissatisfaction at the medical facilities provided at state-run hospitals in Sindh, especially in the remote areas of the province.
Opposition members supported a resolution moved by Nand Kumar, parliamentary leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, which noted that Sehwan has no trauma centre. He rejected claims by the treasury that medical facilities in Sehwan are up to the standards, saying that people would have not suffered in the Sehwan blast if medical facilities existed at hospitals there.
The MQM's Zafar Kamali invited the government's attention to the nonexistence of a trauma centre in Mirpurkhas and Hyderabad. A trauma centre project for Mirpurkhas could not even receive the provincial government's approval, he said. Dr Seema Zia of the Tehrik-e-Insaaf said that the setting up of a trauma centre is not a solution, and provision of facilities, including availability of doctors and paramedics, should be ensured. It is important to ensure that trauma centres have trained and qualified staff, she said.
The PML-Functional's Mehtab Akbar Rashdi said that there is not a single trauma centre on the Super Highway and Indus Highway. Dismissing the resolution as "two-years-old," Health Minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro said the province has 42 trauma centres, of which 25 are operational and the rest will start working in a couple of months. He said that the resolution is outdated as the government has already provided the mentioned medical facilities.
The resolution was rejected by the house. Another resolution presented by Mrs Rashdi asked the government to frame a food and healthcare policy in line with the UN charter on human rights. She said that the government should have a policy to ensure provision of healthcare facilities and food to the people of the province. According to the UN charter, she added, every citizen has the right to have access to healthcare services and to food. She urged the government to evolve a provincial healthcare policy to ensure medical and related facilities to the public.
The MQM's Syed Sardar Ahmed supported the resolution, saying that access to healthcare facilities is a global requirement. Dr Mandhro said that the province has its healthcare policy which may not have received one-hundred-percent implementation. He suggested the formation of a committee to consider other suggestions and proposals for improvements on the existing healthcare policy, and its implementation. With the approval of resolution mover, a committee was formed consisting of Sindh Senior Parliamentary Affairs Minister Nisar Khuhro, Mehtab Akbar Rashid, Dr Seema Zia and Syed Sardar Ahmed. The PML-F's Shaharyar Khan Mehar did not press his resolution after the treasury assured him of action for solution of the problem.