Doctors' associations in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have united to for a new joint platform called Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Doctors Council, warning the provincial government to immediately cease the harassment of medical practitioners.
A meeting of the council was held in Peshawar on Friday, chaired by Dr Abdul Majid. It was attended by Dr Sibghatullah, Dr Rizwan Rajput and Dr Fazal Manan of the Provincial Doctors Association.
Dr Asif Yousafzai from the Young Doctors Association, Professor Dr Musa Kaleem from the teaching cadre, Dr Haroon from the PMA, Dr Nisar from the Islamic Doctors Forum, Dr Zulfiqar from the Peoples Doctors Forum and Dr Daniyal from the PIMA attended the meeting.
The participants rejected what they called the "cruel" professional tax imposed on doctors by the provincial government. They demanded that the tax be restored to previous rates in line with other provinces.
To address the issue, a three-member committee was formed, which will hold talks with the government. The council also demanded immediate halt to actions targeting doctors.
The participants demanded withdrawal of letters issued by the Excise and Taxation department to the Finance Directors of MTIs and the Accountant General K-P regarding salary deductions from doctors.
"The salaries of all doctors, including house officers, trainee medical officers and medical officers, should be increased in proportion to inflation in the upcoming provincial budget. The heavy fines being imposed on doctors by the Healthcare Commission in the name of registration should be immediately abolished," demanded the meeting.
Along with this, the harassment of doctors in the name of drug sales license should be stopped and the court decision on the matter should be implemented.
Since 2017, no job advertisement has been published by the Public Service Commission (PSC), which they called a grave injustice.
The council demanded that jobs should be advertised immediately through the Public Service Commission. In MTI hospitals, instead of the policy board, the recruitment and promotion of doctors should be ensured according to the procedures and standards formulated by PMDC like the rest of the country, it added.
The obstacles in the appointment of civil servants to whom the MTI Board of Governors has given NOC should be removed and civil servants should also be given the opportunity to serve in MTIs.
Violations of merit and nepotism in appointments in MTI hospitals should be stopped immediately and the supremacy of merit in appointments should be ensured, said the council.
As per the announcement issued by the Chief Secretary regarding the Independent Monitoring Unit (IMU), the promotion of doctors has been done on the basis of the performance of the Independent Monitoring Unit (IMU). The doctors' community has serious reservations on this and it should be abolished and the promotion should be done on the basis of ACR.
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