Alleged nepotism: Jinnah Hospital doctors point out irregularities in hiring

Claim new officers lack experience to be appointed on important seats.

LAHORE: Jinnah Hospital, one of the largest medical facilities in the province, has been plagued by nepotism as senior medics are being appointed without taking merit into account, The Express Tribune learnt on Tuesday.

A senior doctor at Jinnah Hospital, requesting anonymity, alleged Medicine Senior Registrar Dr Abida Parvaiz, medicine assistant professors Dr Imtiaz Ahmed and Dr Zaman Khan as well as Obstetrics and Gynaecology Assistant Professor Dr Shumaila Jabeen have been appointed through nepotism.

He claimed they lack the experience required to occupy the seats of assistant of professors and senior registrar.

A group of doctors at the Jinnah Hospital has sent an application to the Punjab Specialised Health and Medical Education department secretary to deal with the matter. They demanded the suspension of the appointments.

According to the application available with The Express Tribune, irregularities have been pointed out during interviews conducted at Jinnah hospital and Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore.

Candidates with three years of experience were ignored in the recommendation sent by the interview committee. Two categories were mentioned: the first had candidates with three years of experience at recognised institutions; and the second one was people without experience.

The latter were reportedly preferred while those with experience were ignored. The people selected allegedly had less than two years of relevant experience.

The application states that as per the criteria laid down by the health department for the post of assistant professor, a candidate who has worked as a senior registrar will be preferred, but the hospital appointed a junior graduate of a private medical college, which is proof of nepotism and favouritism.

Similarly, another doctor who fell victim to the alleged nepotism, said the selections were totally against the job description of assistant professors and senior registrars. The latter is in charge of surgical teams and is involved in high-risk surgical procedures.

He said 40 doctors submitted the application for the interview, but were ignored.

The doctor said the post of assistant professor (gynaecology and obstetrics) required merit and experience at a tertiary care hospital. He said cases falling under the assistant professors needed to be handled with much care as he or she would be required to supervise difficult surgical procedures and assist senior registrars in making important decisions.

“The appointment to the post itself speaks volumes about nepotism, favouritism, abuse to merit, violation of rules and procedures,” he said.

The doctor said these wards dealt with over 3,000 patients every day and the failure to ensure merit has put the lives of patients in danger.

He pointed out that gynaecological and obstetrical procedures like obstetrical hysterectomy and laparotomie could never be conducted by a person with only six months of experience.

Also, a medicine assistant professor has to teach junior doctors and medicine students, conduct daily rounds in wards and see to OPD emergency patients as a consultant. “One can easily understand the gravity of the situation” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 27^th, 2017.