SHCC ready to resolve PMA grievances

KARACHI: The Sindh Healthcare Commission (SHCC) is actively playing its role in improving healthcare services and eradicating quackery in the Sindh province.

Chairman, Board of Commissioner, Sindh Healthcare Commission, Anisul Husnnain Musavi, said that the SHCC is actively playing its role for quality improvement in healthcare services and eradicating quackery in the province. He said that if the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) had certain grievances for the SHCC to resolve, the same could have been done easily by mutual and amicable solutions. These remarks were given in response to the PMA Press Conference held a while back.

He further said that for resolving complaints, the SHCC has a separate Complaint Directorate which takes all necessary steps to resolve complaints faced by healthcare establishments or providers. The Sindh Healthcare Commission’s Anti-Quackery and Inspection teams comprise doctors and experts who visit the healthcare facility, check and inspect the healthcare establishment as per the SOPs and under the authority given under the SHCC Act-2013. As per the SHCC Act-2013, where the SHCC Inspection team/Anti-Quackery team finds violation or misconduct on the part of a healthcare facility, the Commission can initiate appropriate action under its lawful obligations under the law.

As far as Homeopaths and Hakims are concerned, the law allows Homeopathic and Herbal (Tibb) treatment within their scope of registration, so the SHCC cannot close such HCEs; however, if any of the healthcare providers provide services beyond the scope of its registration, action will be taken against such HCEs.

In the past three months, the SHCC has taken suitable action against 44 Hakims, Homeopaths and LHVs who were working beyond their scope and were penalized accordingly.

Chairman, SHCC, said that the SHCC thinks that the Pakistan Medical Association is not only a stakeholder but a valuable partner of the SHCC, and he expects the PMA will provide all professional assistance in enabling the SHCC to perform its lawful functions, including the eradication of quackery.