LARKANA: Four major public hospitals in Larkana, collectively responsible for around 1,600 beds, are facing mounting administrative and financial difficulties that are reportedly disrupting the availability of medicines, medical supplies and diagnostic services for patients.
The affected institutions are Chandka Civil Hospital, Sheikh Zayed Women’s Hospital, Sheikh Zayed Children’s Hospital and the Teaching Hospital.
Hospital administration sources said the crisis has intensified following the vacancy of the director of finance position on the Chandka Hospital administrative board, which has remained unfilled for about a month after the previous director completed his tenure.
The vacancy has reportedly affected financial affairs across the four institutions, with the impact extending from procurement and supplier payments to routine hospital operations.
Finance director vacancy affects hospital affairs
The director of finance position became vacant around a month ago after the previous officeholder completed his tenure.
Hospital sources said the absence of a finance director has complicated financial management across the institutions, including the purchase of medicines, equipment and daily-use supplies.
The situation has been further complicated by the reported absence of DDO powers for the vice chancellor of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University, who heads the hospital administrative board.
According to sources, the Sindh government has yet to grant the required DDO powers, creating another hurdle in financial and administrative decision-making.
CT, MRI and other machines reportedly out of service
The administrative problems are reportedly being felt directly in hospital services.
Several important diagnostic machines, including CT scanners, MRI machines, X-ray units and ultrasound equipment, are reportedly out of service.
The reported breakdowns could affect patients who depend on public hospitals for diagnostic investigations, particularly those who cannot afford private-sector alternatives.
Sources also said that medicines and equipment required for operating theatres are either unavailable or non-functional in several cases.
Medicine shortages add to pressure on patients
Hospital sources reported shortages of essential medicines, while the administration has reportedly been unable to purchase certain daily-wage supplies for approximately a month.
The situation has also affected relationships with pharmaceutical suppliers.
According to hospital sources, several pharmaceutical companies have suspended medicine supplies to the hospitals because of outstanding payments.
This creates an additional challenge for institutions serving large numbers of patients, as interruptions in medicine supplies can directly affect routine treatment as well as emergency and inpatient care.
Daily-wage employees reportedly awaiting salaries
The financial difficulties are also reportedly affecting hospital employees.
Sources said salaries of daily-wage workers have not been paid, adding another layer to the operational challenges facing the institutions.
The reported combination of unpaid workers, delayed procurement and supplier payment issues could further complicate the functioning of hospital departments if the underlying financial and administrative issues remain unresolved.
Administrative authority remains another hurdle
The issue is not limited to the vacant finance director position.
Sources said the vice chancellor of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University, who heads the hospital administrative board, has not yet been granted DDO powers by the Sindh government.
DDO powers are important for financial and administrative transactions, including expenditure and procurement decisions.
The absence of the required authority, combined with the vacant finance director position, has reportedly made it more difficult for the hospital administration to respond to operational needs.
Hospital administration acknowledges finance post vacancy
Chandka Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Amjad Ali Bijarani confirmed that the director of finance's tenure had ended approximately a month ago.
He acknowledged that matters connected with the position had been affected.
However, Bijarani said the administration was working to resolve other hospital-related matters and patient issues on a priority basis.
The confirmation provides an official acknowledgement of the vacancy, while the broader claims regarding equipment failures, medicine shortages, supplier suspensions and unpaid daily-wage salaries were attributed to hospital administration sources.
Crisis puts essential public healthcare under pressure
The four hospitals collectively account for around 1,600 beds, making their operational capacity particularly important for patients in Larkana and surrounding areas.
The reported problems span several interconnected areas—from financial authority and procurement to medicine availability, diagnostic equipment and staff payments.
For patients, the consequences can be immediate when diagnostic machines are unavailable, medicines cannot be procured or operating-theatre supplies are difficult to obtain.
The administration's ability to resolve the vacant finance position, address the reported DDO issue and restore procurement and supplier payments could therefore determine how quickly routine hospital services return to normal.
For now, the situation leaves four major public hospitals in Larkana facing an administrative problem that is increasingly being reflected in the day-to-day delivery of healthcare.
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