KARACHI:  The Federal Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Control on Thursday took over the administrative control of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and National Institute of Child Health, evoking strong reaction from the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

According to a notification issued by Ministry of National Health services Islamabad, in pursuance of Supreme Court of Pakistan’s orders and with the approval of Federal Cabinet on April 2nd 2019, three major Karachi hospitals are restored to federal government and placed under the administrative control of ministry of National Health services, Islamabad.

A senior official of Federal Ministry of health said that “federal government was taken the administrative charge of these three Karachi hospitals within 90 days according an Apex court judgment.” 90 days have completed this week and Law ministry has asks that federal government should have issue a notification for the administrative control of these Karachi three hospitals, he said.

Federal Ministry of Health officer revealed that “Federal Ministry of Finance is worried about allocation of 12 billion rupees budget for these three hospitals in upcoming Budget.”

According to the notification, the Federal Ministry of Health has takeover the administrative, employees and financial charge of all these three hospital of Karachi.

On the other hand, Sindh Health Department officials and Executive Directors of these three Karachi Hospitals said that they are unaware about this decision of Federal government.

Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) Executive Director Dr, Seemi Jamali said that” she has not received any notification in this regard, but a notification about Jinnah Hospital and other two hospital regarding handing over to federal government was viral on social media. Till a certified notification would not be received from Federal government, I am not in position to say any word on this issue, said Seemi Jamali.

Whereas, the Federal government sources said that Board of governance would be formed to run the administrative system of these three hospitals soon.

Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has strongly condemned the taking over of three major hospitals of Sindh by the federal government and termed it as an attack on provincial autonomy.

The PPP Chairman said that “The people of Sindh have invested billions of rupees on revolutionary improvements in Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC), National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) and National Institute of Child Health after these hospitals were handed over to the province under the 18th Constitutional Amendment.”

Expansion of NICVD hospitals to several cities of the province has excelled the performance of Sindh government, which paid for expensive cardiac treatments of patients from all over Pakistan, he added.

Bilawal in a statement said that taking over these main health infrastructures without waiting for the final verdict of the Supreme Court on a review petition filed by Sindh government had displayed the arrogance of the federal government and a challenging contempt of the supreme judiciary by PTI government.

He pointed out that PPP’s Sindh government was spending Rs 12.5 billion on NICVD and Rs 4 billion on JPMC annually to ensure quality free of cost treatments to patients from all over Pakistan.  He said Sindh government had been providing state of the art health facilities to people from every corner of the country without any charges.

PPP Chairman made it clear that his party and the people of Sindh wouldn’t allow anyone to usurp the hard-earned assets of health facilities and categorically said that resistance would be mounted at every available forum, warning the federal government to withdraw the said notification before the public outrage mounted.

Meanwhile, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s elder sister Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari has Sindh is not a colony and the federal government cannot come and take away hospitals that belong to this province.

Reacting to the federal government’s move to take the administrative control of three Sindh hospitals, Bakhtawar said, “Audacity of PTI selected failed government. Sindh is NOT a colony they cannot come and take away hospitals that belong to Sindh.”

She went on to say the federal government’s move is completely undermining 18th Amendment and a blatant attempt to undermine the Sindh Government’s proficiency.