In the city: Doctors to stay back as colleagues leave for Eidul Fitr

Rosters have been prepared at hospitals to divide duties

PESHAWAR: A large number of doctors and other health employees will stay back to celebrate Eidul Fitr with patients, while most of the government employees, besides others, will be leaving for their respective villages for the festival.

The administration of all the major health facilities in the provincial metropolis, as well as district headquarters, have prepared for Eid holidays. At some health facilities, a duty roster has been prepared, according to which some have been assigned special duties.

Officials at the tertiary care hospitals in Peshawar told The Express Tribune doctors have also assigned duties for themselves. Those who belong to Peshawar have volunteered for the duty and let their colleagues, belonging to far-flung areas, go to their respective places for Eid.



“Yes, if there are two heart surgeons and one belongs to the provincial capital, the other who hails from a far-flung area, is asked to celebrate Eid with his family [in his native area],” the Provincial Doctors Association leader, Dr Amir Taj, said. He added a majority of the doctors from other districts will celebrate the festival with their family.

The administration of Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) has also assigned duties and prepared a roster for doctors as well as other health employees at the facility for Eid holidays.

HMC Public Relations Officer Tauheed Zulfiqar said the hospital administration has assigned the deputy medical superintendents their duties, adding the administration has finalised a duty roster for morning and evening shifts.

“Everything has been finalised,” he said. “It has been decided that the deputy medical superintendent (administration) will be on call besides all the heads of departments. If 10 doctors are performing duties in a single ward, five will be present during Eid holidays where five others will be off duty.”

On the other hand, Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) administration has assigned special duties for all its health employees during Eid holidays.

LRH PRO Zulfiqar Babakhel said the hospital administration, in consultation with employees of the facility, have assigned special duties.

“The hospital director has made it clear they have assigned special duties and those found absent will be dealt with in accordance with the rules and regulations.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2016.