CHK faces a shortage of skilled staff to cater coronavirus cases

KARACHI: Sindh’s largest tertiary care hospital, the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK), has been facing an acute shortage of skilled doctors, nurses, paramedics, and others to counter the coronavirus emergency in the Sindh province.
An administrative official at the CHK noted that there are 3000 sanctioned posts in 1600-bed CHK out of which 800 are lying vacant. The shortage of doctors, nurses, paramedics, and support and administrative staff has gravely affected the functioning of this healthcare facility.
The official said that 90 posts of doctors, 100 posts of staff nurses, 150 posts of paramedical staff, five posts in grade-15, 100 posts of sweepers, and other administrative seats have been lying vacant in this teaching hospital since the past several years.
Similarly, about 300 posts of non-technical and support staff from grade-1 to grade-14 are also lying vacant in various sections for the past several years.
The number of coronavirus patients is increasing day-by-day in the hospital. There is an acute shortage of medical staff to cater to this emergency effectively.
The hospital’s administration urgently needs skilled nurses, paramedics, and doctors who can cater to patients during these desperate times.
Chairman, Sindh Paramedical Staff Welfare Organization, Mirza Javed Baig, said that the concerned authorities of the Sindh Health Department had not been paying any heed towards the shortage of staff in public sector hospitals like the CHK and others where doctors, nurses, and support staff are performing their duties under extreme pressure.
He demanded the Sindh government to recruit the medical staff on a permanent or ad-hoc basis to deal with this emergency in Sindh. He said that the summary of staff from grade-1 to grade-16 that was recruited more than a year ago has still not been approved by the Sindh Health Department.

Medical Superintendent, CHK, Dr Khadim Qureshi, was not available to make any comments.

-MN Report