: The Sindh government has allocated Rs3027.936 million for 21 new and 62 ongoing health schemes under the annual development programme in the 2007-08 budget. Last year it had made allocations for 19 new and 61 ongoing health schemes. The government has allocated Rs50 million for the Enhanced HIV/Aids control programme and Rs2.5 million for the reproductive health project against the ongoing foreign project assistance in the new fiscal year. On the preventive side, the Sindh government intends to spend Rs200 million on the prevention and control of hepatitis in 2008-09 and Rs138 million on the introduction of micro health insurance policy in Sindh as new schemes. However, the two schemes are yet to get the status of approved schemes. According to the budget documents released on Monday, a maximum amount of Rs1644.924 million will go to the construction and establishment of new wards and facilities and upgrade and expansion schemes at the non-teaching hospitals, while Rs635.896 to 12 new and 18 ongoing schemes at the teaching hospitals. Rs131.871 million has been allocated for various medical education schemes and Rs497.745 for two new and nine ongoing schemes under the preventives programs. The new schemes likely to be initiated in teaching hospitals in the new financial year include the renovation of the Sindh Government Hospital Korangi, Civil Hospital Karachi, Lyari General Hospital, Liaquat University Hospital Hyderabad, Nawabshah Medcial College, Nawabshah, Chandka Medical College Larkana and the GMMMC hospital Sukkur. Last year the government had announced an allocation of Rs4 million for the master plan of the CHK and another allocation of Rs90.141 million for the establishment of medical ICU and upgrading of the existing laboratory facilities at the CHK but no fund was released. Half of the allocation for the master plan and Rs5 million is likely to be released during 2008-09. Rs236 million has been allocated for the ongoing schemes pertaining to the establishment of a bone- marrow transplantation unit at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation. It is said that 80 per cent physical progress has been made on the project. Under the head of ongoing schemes for other hospitals, the government has allocated Rs10 million for the establishment of a 30-bed hospital at Nooriabad, Rs5 million for the establishment of a trauma centre at the Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences. No fund has been released for the Gambat institute during the outgoing fiscal year. According to budget documents, funds have also been allocated for fresh initiatives such as improvement in the construction of a chest disease hospital in Dadu district, upgrading of seven THQ hospitals to the level of DHQ hospitals at Kambar, Tando Mohammad Khan, Tando Allah Yar, Jamshoro, Kashmore, Matiari and Umerkot, people health care initiatives in 13 districts of the province, renovation and rehabilitation of director-general health office at Hyderabad and provision of telemedicine services in Sindh. The government has also allocated Rs300 for the establishment of a SIUT chapter at Sukkur. However, the new scheme is yet to be approved by the government. In the medical education sector, the government has allocated Rs5 million for an undergoing scheme pertaining to the establishment of a library as well as purchase of equipment and furniture for the second and third professional departments at the Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College, Sukkur.