Headless health ministry: Plans gather dust in absence of top officers
3 of senior most officers who are authorised to approve plans and expedite work on them are absent.
3 of senior most officers who are authorised to approve plans and expedite work on them are absent. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
As is the norm in most government departments, once plans are drawn up, there is a time lapse before they are implemented. But the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination (NHSRC), suffers from an additional drawback — it is rudderless.
Plans to improve the national healthcare system have been gathering dust because of the absence of three of the senior most officers who are authorised to approve the plans and expedite work on them. The posts of secretary, additional secretary and joint secretary have yet to be filled.
Sources in the Ministry of NHSRC said the federal government was taking its time to appoint the officers. On March 19, former health secretary Imtiaz Inayat Elahi retired, while joint secretary Dr Haider was transferred to the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan. The post of additional secretary has been vacant for three months since Dr Sher Ayub left.
Many proposals and plans are waiting for approval, said sources. Among these is a three-year polio eradication plan which has been pending for the last three to four months. Only if it is approved, will it be forwarded to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), they added. A maternal, newborn and child health project costing over $60 million is also pending.
Sources said officials who represent the ministry at official and public gatherings, make tall claims, saying the ministry is making all out-efforts to overcome health-related issues. “The reality on ground is that they are not aware of the issues because of lack of coordination within the ministry’s departments,” said an official.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Minister of State for national health, Saira Afzal Tarar, said, “I’ve written a letter to the Establishment Division to appoint people on the vacant posts.” I requested them to send someone who can work on a temporary basis, if they cannot find able officers, she added.
Tarar said the ban imposed by the government on recruitment was a major hurdle, adding that the ministry needed health professionals and doctors for technical posts. “There is a shortage of health experts in various government departments, while hospitals are already understaffed.” She demanded the government allow the ministry to hire personnel for technical posts.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 29th, 2014.
As is the norm in most government departments, once plans are drawn up, there is a time lapse before they are implemented. But the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination (NHSRC), suffers from an additional drawback — it is rudderless.
Plans to improve the national healthcare system have been gathering dust because of the absence of three of the senior most officers who are authorised to approve the plans and expedite work on them. The posts of secretary, additional secretary and joint secretary have yet to be filled.
Sources in the Ministry of NHSRC said the federal government was taking its time to appoint the officers. On March 19, former health secretary Imtiaz Inayat Elahi retired, while joint secretary Dr Haider was transferred to the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan. The post of additional secretary has been vacant for three months since Dr Sher Ayub left.
Many proposals and plans are waiting for approval, said sources. Among these is a three-year polio eradication plan which has been pending for the last three to four months. Only if it is approved, will it be forwarded to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), they added. A maternal, newborn and child health project costing over $60 million is also pending.
Sources said officials who represent the ministry at official and public gatherings, make tall claims, saying the ministry is making all out-efforts to overcome health-related issues. “The reality on ground is that they are not aware of the issues because of lack of coordination within the ministry’s departments,” said an official.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Minister of State for national health, Saira Afzal Tarar, said, “I’ve written a letter to the Establishment Division to appoint people on the vacant posts.” I requested them to send someone who can work on a temporary basis, if they cannot find able officers, she added.
Tarar said the ban imposed by the government on recruitment was a major hurdle, adding that the ministry needed health professionals and doctors for technical posts. “There is a shortage of health experts in various government departments, while hospitals are already understaffed.” She demanded the government allow the ministry to hire personnel for technical posts.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 29th, 2014.