Appointment of medical directors stayed

Peshawar High Court seeks written response from government regarding appointments in four teaching hospitals of K-P

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar High Court stayed the appointments of directors and medical directors in four teaching hospitals of K-P, and asked the government to submit written replies before June 30.

Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan and Justice Asadullah Khan Chamkani issued the stay order, restraining the government from making these appointments. The order was issued during the hearing of a petition filed by Pakistan Medical Association Provincial President Hussain Ahmad Haroon. According to Haroon, the government had advertised to hire services of these officials in Lady Reading Hospital, Khyber Teaching Hospital and Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar as well as Ayub Teaching Hospital in Abbottabad.

His counsel Mian Mohibullah Kakakhel informed the court that K-P Assembly passed the Medical Teaching Institutions Reforms Act 2015. He said after this act, the government and board of governors (BoG) are bent upon appointing people of their choice as directors and hospital directors.

Principals and directors

“The health department and BoGs advertised the posts of medical directors and hospitals directors. The government is also intending to advertise the posts of principals of medical colleges, and a vague and political method has been given for appointments, claimed the petition.

Anyone who is not a doctor cannot be appointed in the teaching hospitals as these are strictly medical institutions, he added.  The medical colleges in these circumstances will lose their reputation” the petition read.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 12^th, 2015.