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Over 1,000 posts of specialist cadres vacant in Punjab hospitals

By our correspondents
November 27, 2015
LAHORE
More than 1,000 out of 2,474 posts of specialist cadres are lying vacant at 20 teaching hospitals, 45 District Headquarter Hospitals (DHQs) and 124 Tehsil Headquarter Hospitals (THQs) all over Punjab. The doctors of specialist cadres working on 1,500 vacant posts are supporting the healthcare system at DHQ, THQ and Basic Health Units (BHUs) and saving lives of tens of thousands of patients annually.
“Despite difficulties, the healthcare system in Pakistan is much better by dint of sincere efforts of doctors, but the government is not paying attention to resolve the problems of doctors of specialist cadre in the province,” expressed medical specialists at a seminar titled “Healthcare facilities, problems and solutions – Problems of specialist doctors at teaching hospitals, DHQs and THQs and their solution” organised by Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Memorial Society (Jang Group of Newspapers) in collaboration of Punjab Specialists Association (PSA) and Pacific Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Ltd.
Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique while speaking as chief guest believed that no one can deny the importance of doctors of specialist cadres as they were serving selflessly to save lives of thousands of people annually. He said the problems faced by specialist cadres on local and provincial level would be addressed after taking all stakeholders on board. “Quality treatment of patients is directly attached with economic prosperity of doctors,” he said, adding that medicines were available at every BHU of the province. He informed that a total of 74 per cent doctors have been posted in rural areas, yet he believed that self-accountability was required to ensure health facilities and services to poor patients and due rights of the doctors and other medical staff.
He said the Punjab government was ensuring availability of medicines, adding self-respect of doctors would not be compromised at any cost. He said the government is also working on the projects to upgrade hospitals; improve the standard of blood banks and ensure availability of blood to the patients. He said the bed strength would be increased in all hospitals, adding that the Institute of Bone Marrow Transplant was also being established in Lahore.
Khawaja Salman Rafique said the government would solve the problems of specialist cadre on priority basis. “The specialist cadre doctors should be promoted to grade-21,” he recommended.
Punjab Health Services Director General Dr Amjad Shahzad, who is also Medical Superintendent of Mayo Hospital, said more than two million patients visited Mayo Hospital annually and recovered from all kinds of maladies and injuries. “Once a patient enters the hospital, his/her treatment is started within no time,” he said, adding usually poor come to hospital for free treatment as they cannot afford the private treatment.
Dr Syed Nasir Qadri, President Punjab Specialist Association and Consultant Radiologist at Services Hospital, lamented at least 1,000 out of 2,474 posts of grade 18, 19 and 20 of specialist cadres were lying vacant at health facilities across Punjab. “Once a doctor is recruited in grade 18, he/she got retired on same position, which is a huge injustice as neither service nor promotion structure is not formulated for doctors,” he said. He said the doctors were not being given appropriate training and promoted in teaching cadre. He urged the government to give specialist cadre doctors representation in Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC), adding that the specialist cadre doctors should be given opportunity to acquire training at College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP).
Dr Samina Khokhar, Chief Consultant Surgeon Services Hospital, said the standard fixed for an assistant professor must be equivalent for specialist cadre doctors as well, adding that these doctors should not be subjected to injustice.
Dr Tariq Hussain, Consultant Radiologist Kot Khawaja Saeed Hospital, said the government is meting out step-motherly treatment to specialist cadre doctors, who were discharging their duties diligently. The specialist cadre doctors are providing all kinds of treatment including surgeries to the patients.
Dr Awais Farooqi, President Focus Pakistan and former Adviser to CM on Health, identified several problems in healthcare system, which immediately needed to be addressed. He criticised the professors for visiting hospitals for a very short time before they go back to perform duties at private hospitals and clinics.
Dr Rubina Zaib, Chief Consultant Gynecologist at Sahiwal Teaching Hospital, declared specialist cadre doctors a backbone of healthcare system, who were busy in providing treatment services to the patients round the clock.
Dr Tanveer-ul-Hasan Zubairi, Consultant Radiologist and central leader of Pakistan Islamic Medical Association, articulated that specialist cadre doctors have 20 per cent chances of promotion while a medical officer enjoys 51 per cent chances of promotion. Despite this injustice, he said, the specialist cadre doctors are providing health facilities in DHQs and THQs all over Punjab. He said the healthcare system can further improve if government resolves the problems and provides facilities to specialist cadre doctors. Dr Izhar Ahmad Ch, President Pakistan Medical Association, Lahore, stressed the need to recognise the struggle of specialist cadre doctors for their just rights, saying that it was time to give them their due rights. He said the doctors’ community would resist the system of biometric attendance in hospitals, which tantamount to damage self-respect of doctors.
Dr Nasir Abbas, leader of Young Doctors Association (YDA), Punjab, acknowledged the efforts of specialist cadre doctors, who were discharging their duties against all odds DHQs and THQs in the province. He said YDA had always struggled for the rights of specialist cadre doctors despite differences with them.
Dr Nazar Murshid, General Secretary, Punjab, Specialists Association, appreciated the government for announcing special package for specialist cadre, but criticised it for its plan to outsource health facilities in 10 districts of the province.
Besides, Dr Gulzar, Dr Aleem, Dr Naila, renowned analyst Rizwan Razi and other speakers highlighted the problems of specialist cadre doctors.
The MKRMS Chairman and senior editor health and current affairs Wasif Nagi said health believed that it is government’s responsibility to provide free health and education facilities to people. Although government is working in field of health and education yet, he said, there is still great room for improvement. He urged the government to improve the environment of hospitals so that poor patients could get treatment in hospitals with dignity.