Over 500 posts of doctors lying vacant in govt hospitals

By Our Staff Reporter

Karachi: As many as 500 posts of doctor are lying vacant in the city’s public sector hospitals for the last several years, thereby affecting the working of the health facilities facing shortage of doctors.

Dearth of doctors was not only affecting patients’ care, but also putting heavy burden on existing health practitioners, sources said, adding that around 500 posts of doctors, especially of those belonging to specialist cadre, are lying vacant in the city’s seven major and small hospitals, dispensaries and health units of Sindh government.

Though the provincial government had hired the services of some doctors under Benazir Bhutto Youth Programme on contract basis, still around 500 posts of doctors are lying vacant in different government health facilities of the metropolis.

The worst affected hospitals and dispensaries where a number of posts of doctors lying vacant include Sindh government’s Qatar Hospital, Orangi Town; Sindh Govt Hospital, New Karachi; Sindh Govt Hospital,  Liaquatabad; Sindh Govt Children Hospital, North Karachi; Sindh Govt Hospital, Korangi; Sindh Govt Hospital, Saudabad; Sindh Govt Hospital, Ibrahim Hyderi and some other public sector dispensaries and health units of the city.