LONDON: The UK-based Sindh Doctors Forum (SDF) has underscored the need to develop and provide better health and education services in the Province specially those in the rural areas where people continue to face various diseases.The SDF at its executive committee meeting held under the chairmanship of Dr. Liaquat Abbasi here last night, expressed concern over the prevailing health and education facilities in the province and asserted that the status of primary healthcare projects needs to be reviewed in view of what it claimed has been failure to eradicate polio, dengue fever and other infectious and nutritional problems in Sindh.
The executive committee asserted that the Taluka hospitals be strengthened by providing them specialists and necessary equipment and strongly recommended to establish autonomous Sindh Health Commission to monitor the performance of these hospitals.Those others who attended the meeting included Chairman Prof J.M.Memon, vice chairmen Dr. Mir Hyderally Talpur, Dr. Anwar Zardari, Secretary, Dr.Bashir Solangi and members Dr. Shahabuddin Kalharo, Dr. Abdul Latif Soomro, Dr. Khalid Leghari, Kazi Iqbal and Abdul Jabbar Qureshi.For the purpose of promotion of postgraduate medical education and research necessary funds be provided and foreign scholarships given to eligible candidate as per rules of Higher Education Commission, the meeting noted.In order to upgrade the facilities, SDF suggested immediate repair of all primary and secondary schools damaged in the recent floods, reversing the decision of Sindh Education Department to close 1110 schools and appointing teachers strictly on merit without further delay.However, SDF appreciated the proposed establishment of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Medical University at Larkana and Nawabshah and said necessary funds be released immediately for the project to take off.
The meeting noted that following the transfer of Education and Health ministries to the Provinces due to 18th Amendment Bill, there should be at least two ministers in each of these departments for running them on productive basis.The forum also welcomed the announcement of establishment of University of Sufism at Bhitshah and suggested up gradation of Sindh University campuses in Badin, Mirpurkhas and Dadu as full fledged chartered institutions.Furthermore, the forum also highlighted the need to set up Veterinary University and University of Education on the lines similar to that in Punjab. On other issues, the forum condemned target killings in Karachi and demanded complete deweaponisation of the port city. It called for increasing the agriculture output in the Province and running the Seed Corporation on sound lines.The Forum also pleaded for greater employment and education opportunities for Sindhis in Karachi. The committee condoled the recent demise of its member Dr. Shafiq Quraishy and lauded his services to the profession – App
