Volunteerism: HGISF reps accompany Chief Secretary Sindh to Liyari General Hospital

Karachi, June 8th, 2014: On the invitation of Mr.Sajjad Saleem Hottiyana, the Chief Secretary to the Government of Sindh, HGISF Cabinet and members from its federating units accompanied him to visit Liyari General hospital and Civil Hospital in Karachi.  The objective of the said visit was to facilitating honourable Chief Secretary in assessing current situation of patient care and service delivery in these hospitals and distribute cash and food items among patients; thus try to mitigate the sufferings arising out of illness and chronic disease.

Honourable Chief Secretary welcomed the HGISF Cabinet in his office and shared the objective of the said visit and formed three groups on the spot to lead the respective groups of volunteers. One group was assigned to HGISF which was led by Mr.Fida Karim-the Acting Chairman of HGISF. Each group comprised of social activists, students, government officials along with general members from wider civil society institutions from different parts of Sindh.

Initially these teams in the leadership of Chief Secretary visited Liyari General hospital in the volatile  Liyari Town and inspected different wards of the said hospital. The team inquired after health of admitted patients and quality of service delivery. Cash, water and food items were distributed among twelve needy patients.

The situation of wards and toilets were highly apathetic and smelly. Drinking water was not available in scorching heat.The bed sheets were so filthy that no body could sit on them except poor patients. Therefore, Chief Secretary directed concerned official to change filthy bed sheets on the spot and same was ensured with help of volunteers. Chief Secretary himself along with volunteers spred out bedsheets and washed toilets and directed the concerned official to ensure high quality of service delivery to the poor and vulnerable communities of Liyari. A team of volunteers with full support of Chief Secretary office were assigned the task of follow-up to ensure proper patient care and service delivery. The objective of visiting Liyari General Hospital in volatile Liyari town was also to boost-up the confidence level and morale of local communities who are suffering due to notorious liyari-gang-war and skirmishes among non-state actors in Liyari.

 Than the team visited Civil Hospital Karachi- the 1900-bed tertiary care and the largest teaching hospital of Pakistan. Here the team inspected different wards, inquired after health of patients, quality and nature of service delivery to patients and attendants.

Though the hospital was overcrowded and toilets were not properly mentioned but poor patients who were interviewed for their feedback were seems to satisfied with service delivery as they were stated to be receiving proper care and medication. Food packets and cash were distributed among needy patients in two wards each comprising fifty inpatients. Chief Secretary appreciated team HGISF and requested them to visit these and other hospitals in Karachi, adopt at least one patient till his/her discharge and directly report to him and make accountable if something in doing wrong in these hospitals to ensure quality of patient care and service delivery in Sindh Government hospitals in Karachi.

At the end of inspection Chief Secretary thanked HGISF and reiterated his commitment to support HGISF to achieve our shared goals for community development in the days ahead. Team HGISF also reciprocated with the same sentiments and assured the good office of Chief Secretary to work together to promote our goals and objectives in all targeted areas in Pakistan

It is befitting to note it here that this visit was in commensurate with new policy of HGISF wherein it is also working on creating sound forward linkages with relevant government and non-government organizations throughout Pakistan.