KARACHI, June 17: The Sindh government has allocated Rs17 billion for 78 new and 103 old schemes, including 13 related to prevention programmes, in the health sector in its annual development programme (ADP) for the financial year 2013-14.

The government has kept a total of Rs67.4 billion for its health department, while the allocation for the 2013-14 health sector ADP is significantly higher (54.54 per cent) than the allocation of Rs11 billion in the outgoing financial year 2012-13.

In his budget speech, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said the ADP allocation of health for the current year was revised and increased from Rs11 billion to Rs13.56 billion, “which reflects government’s unwavering commitment and concern for this sector”.

The budget documents show 78 new schemes, including 69 related to teaching and other hospitals, will be initiated in the next financial year. Some Rs3.514 billion has been allocated for the new schemes and Rs13.486 billion for ongoing projects.

Prevention programmes The government allocated Rs2.751 billion for both ongoing and new projects under the preventive programme sub-sector. The new schemes on the preventive side include strengthening of thalassaemia control in Sindh costing some Rs33 million over the next two years. Rs13.835 million has been allocated for the rescue ambulatory services programme including call centre in Sindh, the estimated cost of which is Rs1.486 billion. The government has also allocated Rs500 million for the establishment of integrated health management information system. A matching sum has been allocated for the provision of solar energy system at all cold storages for medicines and vaccines across the province. Some Rs35 million has been allocated for the provincial child survival programme. In the case of ongoing preventive side schemes, Rs1 billion will be spent under the chief minister’s initiative for hepatitis prevention and control programme, while Rs40 million as operational support for expanded programme on immunisation, Rs185 million each for the provincial tuberculosis programme and extension of the malaria control programme for rollback malaria initiative, Sindh. Another Rs135 million will be spent on the prevention and control of blindness programme, Sindh. The government has also allocated Rs158 million in its foreign-funded nutrition scheme, while Rs1.835 million has been allocated on the enhanced HIV/Aids control programme in Sindh.

Hospitals According to the budget documents, over Rs1.8 billion will be allocated for the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Accident Emergency and Ancillary Services Complex at the Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) and a further Rs49 million will be spent on the hospital’s revamping. The CHK will get about Rs183 million to modernise electricity distribution networks, expand oncology department, upgrade neurology department and surgical ICU and establish colorectal unit in the surgical unit-V. Besides, Rs34.21 million will be spent on the provision of PET scan machine with cyclotron and QC at the CHK. Under the new schemes, the CHK may get another Rs38.8 million for the establishment of jail ward and Rs35 million for renovation and modernisation of stone heritage buildings of various medical units, improvement of pavement and seating, provision of security and surveillance system. Besides, the CHK will receive another Rs75 million for the purchase of equipment for physiotherapy department and orthopaedic operating theatres.

A total of Rs37.33 million has been allocated for the establishment of hospital waste management system at all teaching hospitals of Sindh. Rs60 million will be utilised for the establishment of a central blood bank in Karachi. Some Rs22 million will be utilised to establish thalassaemia centres, burns centres, cardiac centres and establishment and strengthening of urological services in leading hospitals of Hyderabad, Larkana, Karachi, Sukkur, Shaheed Benazirabad and Mirpurkhas.

Some Rs75 million has been allocated for the establishment of children’s hospital at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) and another Rs100 million has been kept for the extension of SIUT services.

Similarly, Rs200 million has been allocated for the construction of Jacobabad Institute of Medical Sciences and provision of allied facilities.

The Chandka Medical College Hospital, Larkana, may get Rs220 million for its three ongoing projects.

Besides, Rs180 million has been earmarked for spending on the establishment of Benazir Bhutto Medical Complex near Razzaqabad, Rs57 million for the construction of a 100-bed hospital in PIB Colony and Rs50million for 100-bed Benazir Bhutto hospital near Jungle Shah, Keamari.