Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has once again reaffirmed his vision of establishing world-class educational and healthcare institutions in every district, underscoring that access to quality health and education is not a privilege but a fundamental right. Emphasising the pivotal role of doctors and paramedics, he called upon healthcare professionals to align themselves with the Sindh government’s modern public health system and to stand at the forefront of the struggle to protect citizens’ right to life, dignity, and compassionate medical care.
According to the press release issued by the Media Cell Bilawal House, Chairman PPP attended the convocation ceremony of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU) Larkana as chief guest, alongside Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. Expressing his pleasure at visiting one of Sindh’s leading medical institutions, he said, “I stand before you at a university that carries a name which is not merely a memory, but a promise — a promise of courage, compassion, and an unshakable belief in the dignity of human life.” Recalling Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s vision, he said that when she spoke of health, she spoke of justice, because a society that denies healthcare denies its people their most basic right — the right to live with dignity.
Addressing the graduates, Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that Larkana is not just a city but a symbol of resistance against injustice, belief in democracy, and service to the common people. He urged the newly qualified doctors to ensure that their education never distances them from the poor patient, the anxious mother, or the forgotten child, and commended the faculty and administration for not only teaching medicine but shaping character.
Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari pointed out that following the transfer of powers under the 18th Constitutional Amendment, the PPP’s provincial government placed the public healthcare sector among its top priorities in Sindh and made substantial investments to strengthen it. He said that in 2015, the NICVD hospital was devolved to Sindh, after which, through the efforts of the provincial government, the institution has now become a global example in the treatment of cardiac diseases. He further said that similarly, the provincial government partnered with SIUT and expanded the institution across various districts. “Its centres are operational in Sukkur and Karachi, and recently I also inaugurated its new building. The tireless efforts of Dr. Adeeb Rizvi are evident to all, and together with him we have taken this exemplary institution across Sindh. Our endeavour is to extend this facility to even more districts,” he added.
Highlighting the outstanding performance of the PPP’s provincial government in the public health sector, Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari further said that, like NICVD and SIUT, NICH has also emerged as an unparalleled institution of its kind. He said that previously it was only a single federal institution for paediatric care, but following initiatives taken by the provincial government, four centres are now operational in Karachi alone, while facilities for paediatric treatment and intensive care are also being provided in Nawabshah, Jamshoro, Sukkur, and now Larkana as well. He said that under a public–private partnership with the Child Life Foundation, the Sindh government has established emergency services and emergency rooms for children in all districts of the province. “Our resolve is to establish similar high-quality institutions in every district of Sindh,” he added. Paying tribute to former Chief Minister of Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Chairman said that the hospital established during his tenure in Gambat tehseel of Khairpur district, due to its state-of-the-art facilities, is in no way inferior to modern hospitals in the country’s major cities.
Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that there remains considerable scope for improvement in Sindh’s educational institutions. “Historically, I would like to remind that before the creation of Pakistan there was only one university in Sindh — Sindh University. From 1947 to 2008, a total of 16 universities were established in the province. Today, since 2008, the total number of universities in Sindh has risen to 30,” he said.
Chairman further said that after 2017–18, when the federal government reduced funding for the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Sindh remained the only province to shoulder this burden and continue supporting its universities. He said that the Sindh government’s objective is to ensure that every district has at least one university campus, and ideally a full-fledged university, so that youth in remote areas can access higher education and underdeveloped regions are provided with opportunities for progress.