Children’s Hospital in Karachi closed due to unpaid salaries

The Sindh Government Children’s Hospital in North Karachi suspended all major services after its medical and non-medical staff went unpaid for over five months, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Monday.

The hospital, which is located in North Nazimabad Town, employs around 400 staff members, including doctors, nurses, and technical personnel. 

For nearly nine years, the hospital has been run under a public–private partnership (PPP) model between the Sindh Health Department and a non-governmental organization (NGO). However, due to funding shortfalls in recent months, operations have come to a halt.

According to hospital insiders, around 100 employees are directly linked to the Sindh Health Department, while over 400 work under the management of the NGO. 

Both sets of staff have been affected by delayed payments, with the situation worsening over the past few months.

The emergency services, which cater to hundreds of children daily, have been shut down completely, while ward admissions have also been suspended. Patients are reportedly being turned away or redirected to other facilities.

Responding to the situation, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab told the media that city authorities are reviewing the hospital’s administrative and financial challenges and exploring ways to restore operations.

Reporter: Ibrahim Rind