HYDERABAD, May 9: The Civil Hospital Hyderabad (CHH) continues to be discriminated against by the Sindh health department in terms of enhancement of its budget for local purchase from 25 percent to 50 per cent. A shortage of funds always leads to serious problems of lack of medicines because the import and inspection (II) depot of the health department fails to deliver medicines on time as per the fixed quota.

Hospital sources told Dawn that it was unfair on the part of Sindh health department which was requested time and again to raise budget from 25 per cent to 50 per cent given the number of patients who report to OPDs of the CHH, its Jamshoro branch and eye hospital.

A good number of patients also report to the casualty department of the CHH and Jamshoro branch.

The bed occupancy rate of the hospital was very high.

Of 1,300 beds of the hospital, 1,100 remain occupied normally.

Figures showed that around 4,000 patients visit the OPD daily followed by around 1,000 at the Jamshoro branch and 700 at the Eye hospital.

The CHH received 75 per cent of medicines’ directly from the II depot in two instalments whereas remaining 25 per cent cash allocations were utilized for local purchase of medicines that were not provided by the depot.

The supply of medicines in two instalments for the first and second half of the fiscal year of 75 per cent budget, is to begin with commencement of the financial year.

However, due to indifferent attitude of the II depot, it is always delayed as it did not call tenders for purchase of drugs on time which is to be done before the start of fiscal year to ensure on-time delivery of drugs.

But the depot takes provision of medicines very lightly as tender process is not completed as per schedule.

Sources said that of over Rs66 million hospital’s budget for medicines, drugs of over Rs49 million were to be supplied by the II depot in two instalments as part of 75 per cent budgetary allocations.

By January this year medicines of Rs10 million which are close to 20 per cent, could only be received though the second half has already begun. About 25 per cent allocation of cash was estimated at Rs16.5 million.

The CHH caters to the need of patients from all over the interior of Sindh as people suffering from different ailments are examined and admitted to the hospital besides emergency cases such as road accidents or violence in any part of the province.

On account of epidemics in any particular area consultants of the CHH also offer health services on behalf of hospital along with medicines, causing a shortage of medicines in such cases.

Since the II depot does not feel its responsibility of supplying medicines properly the hospital is left with no option but to use local purchase medicines to meet even routine drugs’ requirements.

By January this year the hospital faced medicines’ shortage and management had to utilize local purchase budget.

Initially, half of Rs16.5 million was utilized for drugs between July-December 2004 whereas around seven per cent of remaining allocations was also utilized on account of huge turn out of gastroenteritis patients in the CHH last summer season during the water crisis.

Health adviser Faisal Malik Gabol was asked by Dawn few days back as to why the health department did not recommend same formula of medicines budget for the CHH that had also been allowed to the CHK.

“About 25 per cent local purchase budget is for emergency use and is sufficient enough for the CHH”, he said.

“It is absolutely unfair that the CHH is not given same allocation despite its repeated demands.