Sindh to recruit 2,200 doctors to fight virus

ISLAMABAD: The Sindh government has decided to appoint 2,200 doctors to strengthen its efforts to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah has directed the provincial health secretary to write to the Sindh Public Service Commission for recruitment of 2,200 doctors.

Shah and Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho headed a meeting, where the chief secretary asked the health secretary to write a separate leter to the Higher Education Commission for increasing the number of technical seats in medical colleges and universities.

Meanwhile, Pechuho stated that the number of intensive care units (ICUS) and high dependency units ( HDUS) were being increased in hospitals across the province.

“The capacity of ICUS and HDUS has been increased by 147 and 834, respectively, in Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital, Sindh Services Hospital, Lyari General Hospital and others,” she claimed.

Pechuho added that at least 400 doctors were serving through telemedicine facilities and a memorandum of understanding had been signed for the services of 250 new doctors.

She further informed the meeting that 452 rapid response teams, comprising 1,382 doctors and paramedics, were working to counter the pandemic in the province.

The meeting also decided to issue the salaries of paramedical and technical staff appointed in the wake of the pandemic.

Shah directed the health department to move a proposal for training doctors and