Multiple issues forcing CMCH doctors to stop work, health secretary told.

Byline: M.B. Kalhoro

LARKANA -- The Sindh health secretary was informed on Tuesday that professors and consultants working at Chandka Medical College Teaching Hospital might stop duties as administrative issues being faced by them had attained critical levels.

In a letter addressed to the health secretary, Chandka Medical College (CMC) principal Prof Kheo Ram Dholia said that for a couple of months, he had been observing and receiving many complaints from professors and consultants of the college regarding non-provision of medicines for patients in wards and operating theatres.

Among other grave issues, the principal said unavailability or non-functioning of operating theatre equipment and instruments, including autoclave and air-conditioners to perform surgeries in any emergency posed hindrances in providing quality healthcare to patients.

He said personal protection equipment (PPE) were also not being provided to the professors and consultants attending patients in wards and providing services in the outpatient departments. Cleanliness in wards was also pathetic while non-provision of administrative support in maintaining standard operating procedures (SOPs) pertaining to Covid-19 posed health hazards to the doctors working there, the principal said.

He also said the CMC under the umbrella of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU) provided healthcare facilities to the upper Sindh and adjoining areas of Punjab and Balochistan whereas the Chandka Medical College Hospital Larkana was the allied teaching hospital. Describing majority of the problems as 'chronic', he said the teaching hospital's Larkana medical superintendent (MS) had failed in resolving the issues.

Many of the consultants have tested positive for Covid-19 because of what he called non-cooperation of the MS, non-availability of PPE and lack of arrangements as per SOPs required at the hospital in...