Round-the-clock: Evening shifts to start at OPDs of major hospitals

Official says specialists will be hired at attractive packages for patients.

PESHAWAR: The health department has ordered an evening shift in outpatient departments at four of the major hospitals in the city.

Officials said evening shifts will start at Lady Reading Hospital, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Hayatabad Medical Complex and Ayub Medical Complex in the first phase. The practice can be extended to other medical facilities in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in the near future.

They added the decision was taken during a meeting attended by Minister for Health Shahram Khan Tarakai, Secretary Health Mushtaq Jadoon and others.

An official, requesting anonymity, told The Express Tribune the services of consultants, who are at the very least associate professors with specialisations, will be hired for each hospital at attractive salary packages with other incentives. He said two medical officers will also be employed to work under the consultant.

“We have planned to start general medical, surgical, gynaecological and paediatric OPDs,” added the official. “A laboratory and pharmacy will also be functioning round the clock.” He said boards of governors are being planned for major health care facilities, adding that hospital and medical directors for five institutions had already been announced.

The hospital directors will be responsible for administration, security, finance, hygiene and the purchase of equipment. Medical directors will oversee clinical budgets, clinical audits and patient care.

On Thursday, Minister for Health Shahram Khan Tarakai inaugurated a biometric system for LRH; all the employees were registered in the new system.  Tarakai told the media that staff will be strictly monitored and anyone found guilty of negligence will be punished. He said those performing well will be rewarded accordingly.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 28^th, 2015.