Sindh Government Children’s Hospital shuts down over five-month salary delays

Sindh Government Children’s Hospital in Karachi closes after prolonged salary crisis

KARACHI: The Sindh Government Children’s Hospital in North Karachi, one of the province’s largest pediatric healthcare facilities, has been forced to suspend all major services after its medical and non-medical staff went unpaid for over five months, officials confirmed.

The hospital — located in North Nazimabad Town — employs around 400 staff members, including doctors, nurses, and technical personnel. Most of them have now refused to continue duties until their pending salaries are released, resulting in the closure of the emergency department and inpatient wards.

Public–private partnership under financial strain

For nearly nine years, the hospital has been run under a public–private partnership (PPP) model between the Sindh Health Department and a non-governmental organization (NGO). However, due to funding shortfalls in recent months, operations have come to a halt.

According to hospital insiders, around 100 employees are directly linked to the Sindh Health Department, while over 400 work under the management of the NGO. Both sets of staff have been affected by delayed payments, with the situation worsening over the past few months.

The emergency services, which cater to hundreds of children daily, have been shut down completely, while ward admissions have also been suspended. Patients are reportedly being turned away or redirected to other facilities.

Government reviewing financial and administrative issues

Responding to the situation, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab told the media that city authorities are reviewing the hospital’s administrative and financial challenges and exploring ways to restore operations.

Meanwhile, reporters visiting the hospital found that the Medical Superintendent (MS) — an official from the Health Department — was absent from duty despite the ongoing crisis, raising concerns over administrative oversight.

Health experts have called for immediate intervention by the Sindh government to address the salary delays and prevent further disruption to pediatric healthcare services in Karachi, where public hospitals already face mounting pressure due to patient inflows.

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