Sindh Health minister questions Rs4.247 billion for surgical robots systems

The caretaker health minister of Sindh Dr Saad Khalid Niaz showed serious reservations for the procurement of four robotic surgery systems having a staggering price tag of Rs4.247 billion.

Dr Saad opposed the procurement of robotic surgery systems. The tender was floated during the tenure of the previous Pakistan Peoples Party-led government.

The refusal for the said tender has become a ‘bone of contention’ between Sindh Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar and Health Minister Dr Saad Khalid Niaz.

The interim Chief Minister Justice (retd ) Maqbool Baqar started indirect shots on Dr Niaz. The CM said that in his recent visits to hospitals in the province and observed that most government hospitals/health facilities were in a “total mess”.

From Karachi to Sehwan and up to Sukkur, I found these facilities in a total mess. Male and female patients were kept without segregation into the emergency wards and most of the staff members were absent when checked the attendance registers, calimed Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd ) Maqbool Baqar.

Dr Saad Niaz replied to Maqbool Baqar that years of incompetence, negligence and corruption had destroyed health institutions, whereas he was trying his best to improve the working conditions and facilities for the poor patients of Sindh.

Dr Saad Niaz claimed that he consulted 14 leading surgeons, urologists and gynaecologists and they all opposed the procurement of the robotic systems for the public sector health facilities.

Dr Saad Khalid Niaz has been advocating cost-effective health services instead of costly services to few hundreds patients while hundreds of thousands of patients are in search for basic health facilities in Sindh.

Lat month Dr. Niaz criticised the practice of robotic gallbladder surgery, labeling it a wasteful expenditure.
He pointed out that the cost of this surgery, which amounts to approximately $1,500 to $2,000/ 5 lac rupees is significantly greater than the cost of conventional methods.