policy in their own institution. However, Assistant Budget and Accounts Officer Imran Nazir confirmed that the HO’s stipend had been raised with effect from July 1, 2015 as per notification of doctors’ service structure of 2013. “Initially, the QAMC/BVH administration also raised objection to Budget and Accounts Department’s unilateral decision of implementation of revision in HO’s stipend, but they also agreed on this decision in view of the policy,” he added.
Deputy Secretary Budget & Accounts, Health Department, Punjab, endorsed the revision in HO’s stipend by the BVH, Bahawalpur, saying that there should have been an automatic revision in HO’s stipend upon revision of basic pay scale of grade 17 officers under clause 4 of the service structure for doctors in the province. He appreciated the foresight of Budget and Accounts Officer of BVH for taking this lead, whereas in his opinion, others were treading old beaten path.
“All the public sector hospitals should immediately implement the policy as it has been categorically communicated in notification of doctors’ service structure issued in 2013,” he said, adding that there was no need of issuance of a fresh notification in this regard. “I am available to clear the confusion of administrative officials of hospitals, but no one should wait for a new notification in this regard,” he added.
When asked about the implementation of this policy in the private hospitals in Punjab, he said that, although it was not in purview of Health Department, yet Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) followed Punjab Health Department’s policies in private health institutions in Punjab. In this regard, he believed, the administration of private hospitals should also award revised stipend to House Officers as per policy under doctors’ service structure in the province.
Some reports were also circulating about the implementation of this policy in Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Rahimyar Khan, as well but Hakeem Anjum, Director Finance of SZH, RYK, said this policy of revision of HO’s stipend had not been implemented so far because Health Department was yet to issue a notification in this regard.