Sindh Govt. Children’s Hospital employees await salaries for five months
KARACHI: The Sindh Government Children’s Hospital is facing a severe financial crisis as nearly 400 employees, including doctors, nurses, and paramedics, have not received their salaries for the last five months. The prolonged payment delay has pushed many families of hospital staff to the brink of starvation and sparked growing unrest among the workforce.
The hospital operates under a public-private partnership model and is considered one of Karachi’s key pediatric healthcare facilities. It treats more than 1,000 children daily, offering emergency services, infectious disease management, and specialized pediatric care. However, staff say the salary backlog has damaged morale and disrupted day-to-day operations.
“Our children are starving while we treat others’ children here,” a nurse said, reflecting the desperation felt by many. Employees report struggling to pay rent, school fees, and buy essential groceries, calling the situation unbearable.
Insiders link the crisis to administrative mismanagement and delayed government funding to the private partner responsible for hospital operations.
“The administration has lost control of the situation,” a senior doctor warned, adding that the crisis could escalate if authorities fail to intervene immediately.
Doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff have threatened a complete shutdown of hospital services if salaries are not released soon. While emergency care is still being maintained, employees caution that continued neglect could force them to halt all services, leaving thousands of children without critical care.
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Healthcare activists, labor unions, and paramedics’ associations have voiced solidarity with the staff, urging the Sindh government to release funds and prevent a collapse of services. They warn that closure of the hospital would be disastrous for underprivileged families who depend on its free or low-cost treatment.
Despite repeated appeals, no official statement has been issued by the Sindh government regarding when salaries will be cleared.
