If it ain’t broke: New ministry proposed to keep certain entities from devolving

Uniform pay structure across provinces ‘not possible’.

KARACHI:

The implementation committee and the federal health ministry are flirting with the idea of forming a new ministry under which most entities that are not devolved to the provinces will be regulated.

If this proposal is accepted and implemented, the debate over the fate of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) will then be subjected to the rules and regulations imposed on the new ministry.

For his part, the newly appointed Minister for Health Riaz Husain Pirzada said he is hoping the hospitals are not devolved to the province. He was speaking to journalists after a meeting with the joint action committee for doctors and the JPMC administration on Monday.

“Institutions are not made to be broken, especially hospital and educational centres. They are an integral part of the constitution and cannot be split up through an executive order, but must be done so through a parliamentary act.”

Now also part of the implementation committee, Pirzada said parties supporting the devolution should take the nation’s sentiments into consideration. “Take the example of the Higher Education Commission’s devolution when the people came out on to the streets and the Supreme Court supported them [the people]. I believe the court will support a move to keep these institutions from being handed over to the provinces.”

The minister explained that if the idea for a new ministry materialises then entities may be declared autonomous and the issue of elevating JPMC to a university will be dealt with consequently. According to him, the process of devolving the ministry of health, particularly the hospitals, will not occur for at least another two years — around the time for the next election.

Budget

Pirzada said that there was no option but to impose further budget cuts, some of it from the development allocation, which will continue for the next two to three years. However, he clarified that most years between 40 and 60 per cent of the allocated funds are not spent, thus, if cuts are made efficiently it will not harm any current projects.

He said that he plans to spend the entire health budget immediately. “I want to allocate the money as efficiently as possible and, if more funds are required, I will ask the treasury, who I am sure will have no problem releasing additional funds for justified needs.”

Uniform pay structure for provinces

Even though the provincial government assured the Young Doctors Association (YDA) of a ‘positive outcome’ to their demands in the upcoming budget, the federal minister said a uniform pay structure across provinces is “not possible.”

At present, there are many priorities in line, such as better technology and standards of hygiene in operation theatres, he said. “In view of these priorities and a limited treasury, how can we focus on higher salaries right now?”

Batches of substandard medicines

Responding to questions on substandard batches of a well-known painkiller, Paracetamol, Pirzada said legal proceedings will be initiated against the international pharmaceutical company. According to reports, batches of the substandard medicine have been recalled from stores, however, there is no proper account of medication already sold to the consumer.

Polio eradication

Referring to the country’s failure to eradicate polio, Pirzada pointed out that cases are being reported from far-flung areas of Balochistan. He agreed to a suggestion that schools should ask for a polio certificate at the time of admission.

Contract employees

The minister also spoke to contractual employees who put forth their grievances. He said that some of their demands seemed justified and will be addressed step by step.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 24^th, 2011.