All contractual doctors at FGH to be regularised

SAPM on health inaugurates new OPD block at the hospital in Chak Shehzad

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Thursday announced that all doctors who are employed on contracts at the Federal General Hospital (FGH) will be regularised, while new service structures will be introduced for doctors working in public sector hospitals in the federal capital.

This was announced by the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Zafar Mirza on Thursday as he inaugurated a new outpatient department (OPD) block at the hospital located in in the suburban Chak Shehzad area of the city. The new block includes 19 rooms and will offer gynaecological, pediatric, dermatological, ophthalmological, orthopaedic and surgical services.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony, Dr Mirza said that no longer will a doctor retire without being promoted out of the grade they were hired in.

“The new system will enable the automatic promotion of medical practitioners after a certain period,” he added, suggesting that the new service structure will include time-scale promotions.

Talking about the newly inaugurated block, the SAPM said that old building had little space available, which was creating difficulties for patients. “Patients will be provided quality facilities at the new OPD block,” Dr Mirza said.

Health sector reforms

Reiterating the governments’ policy to bring about reforms in the health sector and to provide universal healthcare, Dr Mirza said that they will achieve this by strengthening the primary healthcare system.

He further said that the government was in the process of transforming Islamabad into a model health city, with the process commencing from the Community Health Centre located in Shah Allah Ditta.

The SAPM went on to assert that the outcomes of the reforms their administration had introduced in the health sector have started to deliver and urged medical and paramedical staff to play their due role in the progress and development of the model healthcare system in the federal capital.

Talking about the government’s universal health insurance scheme, the Sehat Insaf Card, Dr Mirza said that some five million underprivileged families are receiving free healthcare facilities under the programme.

Cardholders, he said, are entitled to seek free treatment costing between Rs20,000 to Rs700,000, including from 300 private hospitals across the country.

“Patients will not have to run from pillar to post to seek treatment,” he said, adding that that the government is utilising all available resources for the provision of better health facilities to the people.

He went on to state that soon, some 10 million cards will be distributed amongst impoverished families by the end of the next calendar year. 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 20^th, 2019.