Staff shortage: Polyclinic may shut evening OPDs
Over 3,000 patients visit the hospital in the evening.
“If the hospital does not get permission from the ECP for fresh appointments, then we will be left with no other option,” says official. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Facing severe shortage of staff, the Polyclinic Hospital is considering closing the evening out-patient departments (OPDs).
Currently 262 posts including those of technicians are lying vacant at the hospital, out of which, 129 were advertised recently, but the hiring was stopped due a ban on new recruitments by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Meanwhile, the hospital administration has recently written a letter to the Ministry of the Capital Administration and Development (CAD) requesting them to get permission from the ECP to lift the ban on fresh appointments for the hospital, otherwise, they would be left with not option but to close the OPDs in the evening.
Everyday over 3,000 patients, mostly government employees, visit the OPDs in the evening.
While talking to The Express Tribune, a senior administration official at the Polyclinic Hospital said, majority of the vacant posts were that of BPS-6 to BPS-12.
“If the hospital does not get permission from the ECP for fresh appointments, then we will be left with no other option,” said the official.
He said that the closure of evening OPDs will increase the burden in the mornings, which will further exacerbate the already crowded OPDs.
Polyclinic Spokesperson Dr Sharif Astori said that the shortage of staff affected provision of quality healthcare services.
Despite repeated attempts, Addtional Director ECP Mohammad Iftikhar Raja could not be contacted for comments.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 28th, 2013.
Facing severe shortage of staff, the Polyclinic Hospital is considering closing the evening out-patient departments (OPDs).
Currently 262 posts including those of technicians are lying vacant at the hospital, out of which, 129 were advertised recently, but the hiring was stopped due a ban on new recruitments by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Meanwhile, the hospital administration has recently written a letter to the Ministry of the Capital Administration and Development (CAD) requesting them to get permission from the ECP to lift the ban on fresh appointments for the hospital, otherwise, they would be left with not option but to close the OPDs in the evening.
Everyday over 3,000 patients, mostly government employees, visit the OPDs in the evening.
While talking to The Express Tribune, a senior administration official at the Polyclinic Hospital said, majority of the vacant posts were that of BPS-6 to BPS-12.
“If the hospital does not get permission from the ECP for fresh appointments, then we will be left with no other option,” said the official.
He said that the closure of evening OPDs will increase the burden in the mornings, which will further exacerbate the already crowded OPDs.
Polyclinic Spokesperson Dr Sharif Astori said that the shortage of staff affected provision of quality healthcare services.
Despite repeated attempts, Addtional Director ECP Mohammad Iftikhar Raja could not be contacted for comments.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 28th, 2013.