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HYDERABAD, Dec 29 (APP): The Chairman of Hyderabad SITE Association of Trade & Industry (HSATI), Zubair Ghangra, has expressed serious concern over the alarming shortage of basic medical facilities and administrative negligence at the Social Security Hospital, Hyderabad.
According to him, hospitals operating under SESSI are severely lacking diagnostic equipment, essential medicines, and timely emergency services, creating significant hardships for workers and industrialists alike. Many patients are forced to seek treatment at private hospitals and clinics, which not only increases their financial burden but also undermines the primary purpose of the Social Security Fund. This situation reflects that the institution is failing to effectively discharge its responsibilities and protect the rights of workers.
Mr Ghangra emphasized that the problems at Hyderabad Social Security Hospital are not limited to inadequate facilities; administrative negligence and lack of transparency are the root causes. Funds collected from workers are neither used efficiently nor transparently. He also highlighted that SESSI officials are pressuring industries to increase the number of workers in factories, despite the fact that the current medical facilities are completely unprepared to support an expanded workforce. Such measures create challenges for both workers and industrialists.
According to Chairman, it is the responsibility of the Social Security Institution to ensure that all hospitals and dispensaries provide basic and emergency medical services, implement proper checks and balances, equip diagnostic laboratories with modern equipment, maintain the availability of specialized and trained doctors, and ensure that medicines and medical supplies are consistently available. The use of workers’ contributions must be transparent and accountable.
HSATI has demanded that the Social Security Hospital, particularly in Hyderabad, be immediately upgraded with modern diagnostic equipment, fully operational laboratories, and 24/7 emergency services. New ambulances should be provided to ensure timely medical aid during emergencies.
The shortage of medicines in hospitals must be addressed immediately. Furthermore, the financial assistance for medical bills should be increased from PKR 10,000 to PKR 50,000, and the travel allowance for transferring patients to hospitals in other cities should be raised from PKR 500 to PKR 3,000. The printing and distribution of worker cards should be expedited, and unregistered workers should be registered as soon as possible.
Until the Hyderabad hospital is fully equipped, Hilal-e-Ahmer, Amma Ayesha, and American Hospital should also be included on the Social Security panel, similar to how Patel Hospital in Karachi is included.
Mr Ghangra further demanded the formation of an advisory board comprising representatives from SESSI and industrial zones, which should hold monthly meetings to promptly resolve issues of the Hyderabad, Kotri, and Nooriabad industrial zones. Regular visits by SESSI commissioners to industrial zones and effective coordination for timely resolution of workers’ problems must also be ensured.
The Chairman stressed that HSATI stands firmly with the industrialists and workers of Hyderabad and urged the government to take immediate and effective action to upgrade the Social Security Hospital. This is essential to restore the basic rights of workers and provide them with the medical services they rightfully deserve.