Short staffed: Students protest transfer of two senior professors

RMC principal says he will take up matter with the health secretary

RAWALPINDI: After two professors at the Rawalpindi Medical College (RMC) were transferred to Dera Ghazi Khan, students of the college staged a protest on Wednesday.

They urged the health department to withdraw the transfer orders, restoring the professors to the college.

Medical students gathered in front of new RMC campus at the Holy Family Hospital (HFH) at 9am on Wednesday, demanding that Professor of Medicine Dr Matiullah and Professor of Gynecology Dr Rizwana Chaudhry, should not be transferred.

They were later joined by members of the Young Doctors Association (YDA).

A protesting young doctor said that they were not satisfied with the transfer of their teachers as the RMC was already short on professors. He added that they wanted the health department to reverse the orders.

The doctor further said that if the transfers were not reversed, they would continue their protest on Thursday.

A senior doctor at HFH confided to The Express Tribune that such transfers were based on recommendations from the college’s principal. Further, he said that the government could transfer doctors to other colleges after they get their promotions.

In this case, he admitted, the transfers did not seem to be normal or in line with regular practice. He added that both doctors had been serving as professors in BPS-20 for over 10 years and were nearing retirement.

RMC Principal Dr Muhammad Umer in his negotiations with students said that he did not have a clear picture of the transfers and would have to check why the transfers took place. He added that he would take up the issue with health secretary.

When contacted, Young Doctors Association (YDA) Punjab chapter chief Dr Haider Akhtar said that their association had nothing to do with the protest. He added that the YDA could join the protest.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2017.