Additional 2,000 beds to train postgraduate doctors

Health secretary says extra seats in different specialties will be created according to bed-doctor ratio

LAHORE: Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Secretary Najam Ahmed Shah has said 2,000 beds added to hospitals would be utilised to teach and train postgraduate doctors.

The initiative will take place after the completion of development projects and extension plans of these hospitals.

Shah directed officers to immediately gather the data of additional beds in teaching hospitals. He said extra seats, in different specialties for PG trainee doctors, would be created according to the bed-doctor ratio.



He stated this while presiding over a high level meeting in connection with the central induction policy for PG doctors. Besides, Health Special Secretary Dr Sajid Chohan, King Edward Medical University Vice Chancellor Prof Qazi Saeed, FJMU VC Prof Khalid Masood Gondal, Services Institute of Medical Sciences (SIMS) Principal Prof Mehmood Ayaz, PGMI/LGH Principal Prof Ghaus-un-Nabi Tayyab, Allama Iqbal Medical College/Jinnah Hospital Principal Prof Rashid Zia, Prof Syed Muhammad Awais, Prof Amir Zaman Khan, Prof Ibrar Ashraf, Children Hospital Dean Prof Masood Sadiq, Development Additional Secretary Shahid Rehman, Technical Additional Secretary Dr Salman Shahid, PITB Director Badar and other officers of the department attended the meeting.

Shah said that PG doctors would be get 100% salaries and no practitioner would be left without a stipend.

The health secretary took a serious note of nonpayment of the stipend to PG trainee doctors in some institutions and ordered that all procedural hurdles be removed immediately.



Shah stated that the performance of medical officers, recruited on an ad-hoc basis, should be strictly monitored on a monthly basis. He ordered authorities to terminate those doctors who were not performing their duties or remained absent from service. The health secretary directed the principals of teaching hospitals to submit a report in this regard.

On this occasion, principals of some medical colleges proposed that the new specialties and basic medical science should be included in the PGship. Shah said that he was ready to enhance slots; however, the committee concerned should present its recommendation after reviewing all the aspects of the subject.

He observed that timeline of completion all works was essential and the targets could not be achieved without it.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2017.