For free: Teaching hospital BoGs to volunteer services

Health minister says these experts will not be paid or offered incentives

PESHAWAR:

Members of boards of governors at teaching hospitals have volunteered their services and will not be collecting any salaries.

This was stated by Minister for Health Shahram Tarakai as he spoke to journalists at Peshawar Press Club on Sunday. He was accompanied by K-P Health Director General Dr Parvez Kamal.

He said members were selected purely on merit and would be offering their services to improve state-run hospitals. He revealed the board members would not be paid salaries or offered other incentives. Tarakai added they would bear their own expenses.

The minister said since these medical facilities were autonomous; their affairs would be run by the board of governors. “The department will have nothing to do with the board of governors or the hospitals,” Tarakai stated.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Medical Teaching Institutions (MTI) Reforms Act 2015 was passed by the provincial assembly in January this year. Rules have also been framed and sent to the government for approval.

Autonomy

Tarakai said the government believed in decentralisation and has empowered hospitals to run their financial and administrative affairs.

He said their core duty would be to implement the government’s health policy. “Yes, the members will face certain hardships and implementation will take time, but authorities are committed to the newly-promulgated health act.” He said although some people had reservations, 99% were in favour of the fresh health policy adopted by the provincial government.

Tarakai said the government was not short of funds, adding a specific amount from the money generated by hospitals would be given to the staff.

The minister stressed consultants do not require a pay scale. “Let me clarify that hospital and medical directors are not permanent, but consultants,” he added.

He also said the boards of governors for medical complexes in Bannu, DI Khan and Mardan would be announced next week, whereas the members of Saidu Teaching Hospital would be revealed after consultation with the K-P governor.

A PC-I amounting to Rs1.8 billion (for repair and renovation) has already been sent to the Planning and Development department for these four hospitals on an initial basis.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 18^th, 2015.