In Pakistan, 42 doctors awaiting promotions for past eight years

Polyclinic upgraded 38 out of 80 doctors, but overlooked those regularised in ex-PM Gilani’s tenure

ISLAMABAD: The nepotism in recent promotions in Federal Government Poly Clinic Hospital has irked dozens of doctors awaiting promotions for almost a decade.

In its meeting held this month, the departmental promotion committee has promoted only 38 out of 80 doctors awaiting promotions in the next grade.

The committee promoted only those doctors who were recruited through Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), officials said.

However, some 40 doctors regularised on ex-PM Yousuf Raza Gillani’s orders after recommendations from Khursheed Shah’s Committee along with other two posted in the hospital from other provinces on deputation have been completely ignored in the process.

Aggrieved doctors were of the view that many doctors falling in both overlooked categories have been promoted in the past as well and were performing duties on high posts in the hospital. The doctors said that nepotism in promotions was clear violation of law.

In this regard, the Health Ministry Secretary Allah Baksh Malik told The Express Tribune on being approached that Khursheed Shah’s committee was only given the task for regularisation of BPS 1 to 15 employees in the hospital however it exceeded the mandate and regularised BPS 17 to 20 employees too.

He confirmed that departmental promotion committee would review cases of affected doctors in its meeting on November 9.

Earlier, the committee led by Khursheed Shah during the tenure of Pakistan People’s Party had recommended regularisation of some 200 contract doctors after which the then premier Gillani had given his approval while the now defunct Capital Administration and Development Division (CAD) had also issued a notification in this regard.

The process stopped at the end of PPP government and remained frozen throughout the PML-N tenure. The PTI government finally approved the long-delayed promotions.

YDA strike

Work at out-patient departments (OPD) of three allied hospitals, Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), Holy Family Hospital (HFH) and District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital remained suspended on Wednesday for sixth consecutive day on the call of Young Doctors Association (YDA) against implementation of Medical Teaching Institutions (MTI) Reforms Act 2018.

The administrations of all three hospitals failed to make alternative arrangements for patients owing to which they faced extreme difficulties.

The patients coming to OPDs wandered around the empty departments to find a doctor for their examination. A number of patients also quarreled with on-duty doctors in other departments and wards however they had to return helplessly.

A patient Muhammad Yaseen said that they had been deprived of healthcare.

Another patient Muhammad Akbar said the doctors kept watching patients going around helplessly but did not come to attend them.

According to a patient, Zarat Hussain, the doctors are no more the messiahs of the ailing, they are professionals who only seek money for their work like any other mechanic or electrician.

People said the government had also turned a blind eye on the issue of strike at OPDs.

Meanwhile, YDA held a consultation meeting in the library of Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) in which it was decided to increase co-ordination between doctors and paramedical staff for making the strike more effective.

The participants said that the government was trying to fool them in the name of dialogue. They added that the government was trying to enforce MTI in the province despite of its failure in Khyber-Pakhtunkwa. The participants expressed MTI was a black law while it would hike healthcare and treatment facilities for patients and said that hospital staff including doctors would lose their jobs if the act was implemented. 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 17^th, 2019.