ISLAMABAD: Contrary to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government's claim of improving the country's health system, the heads of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination's 17 attached departments including the city's big hospitals, the PIMS and Polyclinic, stayed illegally against the recruitment rules either by junior officer or deputationists.
The attached departments, which were headed illegally against the recruitment rules either by junior officers or deputationists include, the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), the Federal Government Hospital (FGH) popularly known as Polyclinic hospital, the National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicines (NIRM) hospital, the Federal General hospital (FOH), the Drug Regularity Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZAMBU), and the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), said Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, about the matter regarding posting of junior officer preferred over senior officers, and temporary and ad-hoc posting, other than the regular charge basis in the attached departments of the NSHR&C.
He raised this matter in Senate on January 13 this year, and the house referred it to the standing committee headed by Senator Khushbakht Shujaat.
Senator Tareen said that the National Institute of Population Studies (NIPS), the National Health Emergency Preparedness and Reporting Network (NHEPRN), the National AIDS Control Programme, the NPM, federal EPI, the Federal Medical and Dental College, the National Institute of Health, and the director general (DG) health, Ministry of NHSR&C (BS-20) were also headed illegally.
He said that Dr Anser Masood, a dental surgeon was looking after the charge of executive director (ED) of the PIMS, which was against the recruitment rules of the PIMS and order of the Supreme Court dated November 30, 2016.
He is also holding charge of principal of School of Dentistry and head of Dental Department of PIMS.
The senator said that Dr Naila Israr, a gynecologist is looking after the charge of ED Polyclinic hospital head of Gynae Department and 17 dispensaries of Polyclinic hospital, despite the availability of two senior doctors in the hospital.
Similarly, Dr Safi Malik, a BS-19 officer is looking after the charge of the post of director general (DG) health, Ministry of NHSR&C (BS-20).
He is on deputation from the Punjab government from the last seven years, he said, adding that Asim Rauf a BS-19 junior officer is looking after the charge of chief executive officer of DRAP from the last many years.
He further said that there were no permanent registrar and controller of the SZAMBU, and was looked after by Dr Nadeem Akhtar, a pediatric surgeon and Dr Tariq Iqbal, plastic surgeon, head of Burns Center.
Registrar, secretary and financial officer of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) are also on look after charge basis.
He said that another Dr Shaista Habibullah, deputy director BS-19 was looking after the charge of director of NIRM.
Dr Hassan, deputy director Admin BS-18 is looking after the charge of medical director BS-19 FOH, he said.
The senator further said that Major General Aamer Ikram, executive director (ED) NIH whose deputation period expired few months ago was still having the charge of ED NIH.
The senator said that Dr Amjad Mehmood, a BS-21 grade officer was also illegally posted as director general BS-20 of NHEPRN, and Dr Bashir Achakzai, a junior officer was having the charge of the National Aids Control Programme, and who was on deputation from Balochistan government.
Dr Arshad K Chandio, a junior officer is looking after the charge of deputy national program manager Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI).
Dr Asad Hafeez who was jailed in ephedrine case and remained behind bars for six months has been appointed as vice chancellor of the Health Services Academy (HAS).
From last nine years no principal has been appointed of the PMDC, and Prof Dr Rizwan Taj is currently the principal of the Federal Medical and Dental College, and look after charge basis.
He said that Dr Zaeem, medical officer (MO) BS-17 was appointed as District Health Officer (DHO) Islamabad BS-18, who was on deputation from Gilgit.
The committee, which met with Senator Khushbakht Shujaat turned town the reply submitted by the ministry with respect to question raised by Senator Tareen, and directed the ministry to submit detailed reply during the next meeting to be held on September 10th.
Dr Faisal Sultan, minister for NHSR&C, while responding to questions raised by Senator Javed Abbasi regarding delay in setting up of Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority and unchecked growth of unauthorised hospitals and clinics in the city, said that the authority and the board had been set up and there were some budgetary issues, which would be resolved soon. He assured the committee that the authority would soon be made operational.
However, Dr Syed Ali Hassan Naqvi, chief executive officer of the authority told the committee that currently he was the only employee of the authority. Senator Abbasi said that during the last two years government had only issued a single notification and hired a single person for the authority.
The meeting was also attended by Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, Ayesha Raza Farooq, Dilawar Khan, Dr Asad Ashraf, Dr Ashok Kumar, Dr Sikandar Mandhro, Ghous Muhammad Khan Niazi, Liaquat Khan Tarakai, Prof Dr Mehr Taj Roghani, Sana Jamali, and senior officials of the ministry of NHSR&C.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
Comments
Comments are closed.