KARACHI - Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhter, while taking strict notice of acute shortage of thallium and oxygen facilities at the Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases (KIHD), directed the financial adviser on Sunday to take steps for the resolution of institute’s financial issues.
“The Finance Department has been directed to ensure timely release of funds to meet requirements of the hospital and examine necessary rectification in ceiling of billing,” he said.
Wasim was chairing a meeting of the KIHD officials, who met him at his office and brought to his knowledge the issues being faced by KIHD.
KIHD executive director told the meeting that KIHD was a 150-bed hospital, while a 100-bed ward, a nursing school and Administration Block were almost ready for inauguration.
Highlighting the financial state of the institute, he informed that KIHD had funds worth Rs274 million, including Rs232 million under the Endowment Fund, which could not be utilised, as per by-laws, other than for investment purposes.
“However, interest of this fixed deposit can be used for the betterment of the hospital along with other available funds,” he added.
The Chair expressed the desire for immediate submission of the case.
M&H director was directed to submit the proposal for the finalisation of GB of KIHD.
The executive director also pointed out the bottlenecks hindering complete functioning of the New Ward, and obstructing meeting the requirements of Angioplasty, surgery and Cath Lab.
He sought permission from the mayor for hiring essential technical staff for the purpose.
The Chair agreed to separate processing of KIHD’s critical hiring requirements other than the KMC hospitals. Wasim praised the institute’s management and remarked, “You are the assets for KMC.”
He exhorted the KIHD administration to take initiatives for setting up a CCU, a unit for Peads Cardiac Surgery and more wards based on their experiences in order to facilitate the patients.
He assured his complete cooperation to the KIHD administration in order to ensure required funding even from philanthropists.
He expressed the desire that all health facilities are available to all the patients.
The mayor directed immediate vacation of accommodations and start of construction activities to avoid wastage of funds.
He also sought the list of staff residing in these accommodations.
He also directed the M&H senior director to ask the M&H ex-senior director to return 144 expired stunts taken away by her for replacement.
M&H SD informed that a summary had been approved to release a grant to provide medicines to KMC’s health institutions, and that now a fresh summary had been floated for securing the release of grant of Rs600 million for the provision of medicines and equipments to KMC hospitals.
Wasim directed that the process be expedited.
In the end, the mayor categorically conveyed to all the staff that no politics or political influence would be tolerated in health institutions and other departments of KMC, and that each and every person will be judged on merit. He warned against deviation from his directives, adding it would be dealt with sternly.