Amid legal battle: Health dept finds ways to induct fresh graduates

Barriers emerged after Post Graduate Medical Institute challenged in court

PESHAWAR: As the legal battle between the health department and health employees affects the future of fresh graduates, the provincial government seems to have been finding ways to accommodate all the doctors who have passed FCPS part I examinations.

However, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa health department has sought details of available slots for trainee medical officers (TMO) at all the teaching hospitals so that they are filled immediately.

Officials privy to a meeting, held at K-P Health Secretariat on Tuesday, stated the meeting thoroughly discussed induction of the TMOs since FCPS-I results have been announced and the TMOs needed to be inducted and empty slots filled.

“Yes, there are certain barriers but the rules and regulations do not stop us from hiring the trainee medical officers,” a senior health official told The Express Tribune, adding since the new setup for Post Graduate Medical Institute (PGMI) was challenged in the court of law, the health department will make inductions under the Rules of Business, 1985 for Medical Education.

At all costs

“Medical education is the job of health department and not the PGMI and that is the reason why TMOs’ posts will be advertised and filled by the K-P health department,” a senior health official told The Express Tribune. He requested anonymity since he was not authorised to speak to the media.

The official added the teaching hospitals’ authorities have been asked to submit details of the required posts so that they could be advertised. He said the former PGMI dean, along with the associate dean of the current setup, will work out on the TMOs’ induction.

The official said the induction committee will work for seven days. “However, this time, we will be inducting TMOs on need basis.”

Every unit or department at the hospitals, he said, will give details on the allocated slots as mentioned in the guidelines of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan (CPSP).

“There were things needed to be addressed regarding induction of TMOs for different units, but this time we will make induction on need basis,” the senior health official said.



It was also decided at the meeting that the administrative control over the TMO will be with the particular medical teaching institute at which the TMO is inducted. Moreover, it was said no medical teaching institutes shall be responsible for the hostel accommodation of TMOs.

The meeting was attended by Health Secretary Abid Majeed, besides members of PGMI, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Lady Reading Hospital, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Ayub Medical Complex in Abbottabad and Saidu Teaching Hospital in Swat.

The K-P government faced resistance from different sections of the health community while introducing reforms in the health sector. It had recently implemented Medical Teaching Institutions Reforms Act, 2015, giving autonomy to the health institutions.

Internal rifts

There were doctors who were against the changes that were being brought about in the health sector. However, Minister for Health Shahram Khan Tarakai said, on various occasions, that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and its coalition partner would never compromise on the care of patients.

In February, the government had served notices to and suspended a number of doctors, who were found guilty of violating Essential Services Act, 1958 as they boycotted services at health institutions across Peshawar.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2016.