Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health department asks doctors to end strike

A spokesman of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa department of health on Wednesday called upon the doctors to call off their strike keeping in view the hardships being faced by the common man. In a statement issued here the spokesman described the strike as uncalled-for, as most of their demands have been accepted by the provincial government, saying that strike is bringing bad name to the medical profession and medical institutions.
He said that 376 doctors would get promotion to BPS-20, 496 doctors to BPS-19 and 642 doctors to BPS-18 very soon adding that 570 posts of medical officers would be advertised through PSC. Commenting upon the TMOs induction, the spokesman said that the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Peshawar took proactive measures to accommodate students who had passed FCPS-I examination to meet the current and future needs. He said the provincial government got recognised six institutions by the college of Physician and Surgeon in the month of February this year for Postgraduate training.
This would allow to place more trainees into training programme, help develop these institutions and enable these institutions to render effective services to the people of the area, he added. He said that these institutions include; Saidu Group of Teaching Hospitals, Gomal Medical College, Bacha Khan Medical College, Gastroenterology Unit of LRH, IKD and KCD. In the last 20 years, this is the first ever expansion of the postgraduate teaching institutions outside Peshawar.
The spokesman said that in the past TMOs induction was faulty and confusing. Nomenclature like floating TMOs, government TMO's, Private TMO's and Sponsor TMO's speaks clear and loud about the confused system. In the past, government had been reacting to problem and had been seeking short-term solution.
The present government has prepared a uniform and practical system that would help long term, he added. This induction system of TMO's was discussed with Provincial Doctors Association on 18-4-2011. It is pertinent to mention that this meeting was not asked for by PDA but was initiative of the Health Department, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. All sixteen points concerning the induction of TMO's were unanimously agreed.
At the same meeting representatives of PDA discussed the following points, as additional agenda. He said representatives of the PDA were informed that promotion process of teaching cadre, District Cadre and Management Cadre is smoothly in progress. There were problems in General Cadre. Here again, Government proactively worked on it. Based on 4-tier formula, summary has been sent to Finance Department for concurrence.
It is to confirm that after concurrence from Finance Department 376 doctors would be promoted to BPS-20, 496 doctors to BPS-19 and 642 doctors to BPS-18. He added that stipend for MCPS was discussed. It was decided that supporting a minor qualification, which does not help the individual's status or help in the career, is neither in the interest of the profession nor in the interest of the public.
He further said provision of stipendiary house job to the graduates of private sector medical colleges was discussed. It was decided that it was moral and lawful obligation of the administration of the private medical colleges to provide internship to their graduates as per the rules of PM&DC. While government should use its lawful authority so that private medical colleges fulfil their obligation to their graduates.
He also said that recruitment of doctors through public service commission was discussed. The doctors were informed that a request was being sent to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Service Commission to advertise around 570 posts of medical officers. At the same time, government has asked the PSC to issue NOC to recruit doctors on adhoc basis till the selection of Public Service Commission selectee/recommendee, he said and added that government was also going for legislation to find a rapid but appropriate way of inducting doctors on temporary basis against the post of doctors on long leave. He said that would help reduce un-employment and expansion of health services.
The spokesman further said that representatives of doctors were informed that security has generally been improved and government was giving priority to improve security at the hospitals. TMO's were inducted into three teaching hospitals in Peshawar. With current policy as agreed with PDA this problem would not exist any more. However, to meet the current needs new hostels were being built, he informed.
The spokesman said that the factual position was that almost all issues have been resolved and the only outstanding issue is salary package. It can only be resolved through discussion with concerned people, he said. This discussion may take time, as it has to be tailored to our resources.
The strike and its continuation is not justified because most of the issues of the doctors have been resolved and the current circumstances including war on terror, joblessness, financial hardships warrants sympathy, empathy and kindness from doctors as far as common man is concerned, the spokesman concluded.