Compliance with SC order: PIMS reopens Bone Marrow Transplant Centre

Islamabad: Complying with the Supreme Court’s order, the administration of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Monday reopened the Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Centre of the Children’s Hospital, well ahead of the 4 p.m. deadline served by the Chief Justice (CJ) earlier in the morning.

The Supreme Court had taken suo motu notice of the closure of the BMT Centre after receiving a joint complaint from parents of children who had been availing treatment at the Centre.

Immediately after the Centre’s reopening, which was confirmed by the Executive Director of PIMS Dr. Amjad, two patients were admitted for bone marrow transplant, and a timeline for patients on the waiting list was prepared.

The Supreme Court has also ordered filling of all vacant posts at the BMT Centre, retention of existing staff till new inductions are made, immediate payment of all outstanding dues of staff, and reinstatement of all those who have been suspended.

The parents had contended that the BMT Centre’s closure was aimed at benefitting private hospitals, which mint money and are beyond the reach of a majority who cannot afford disastrous spending on medical treatment.

The Ministry of Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) was seen as allegedly having remained apathetic towards resolving challenges such as non-payment of salaries to and suspension of the Centre’s staff, restriction on new hiring, and non-regularisation of employees, among others.

In their complaint to the Chief Justice, the parents had flagged that bone marrow transplant, which is the only available treatment for child victims of Thalassemia Major, was not available in Pakistan up to 2010.

The Italian government and the pre-devolution Ministry of Health had signed a Memorandum of Understanding under which the BMT Centre was established, with a clause that clearly stated that after three years of its inauguration, the government of Pakistan would own the project and provide a regular budget and employment to staff trained by Italian experts. After devolution of the Ministry of Health, the Centre continued to be financed (from 2013 to 2015) through the Pak-Italian Debt Swap, with CADD funding it through PSDP funds from 2015 to 2017.

“A transplant in the private sector costs Rs3 million whereas at the BMT Centre in PIMS, the facility is available for Rs1 million, where 0.6 million per patient is donated by the Pakistan Baitul Mal, and the remaining 0.4 million is arranged by parents of the patient. After completion of six years, the Planning, Development and Reforms Wing recommended conversion of the project (from development to current side), with the Ministry of Finance putting the project and its staff on regular budget. PIMS adjusted 16 staff members against regular posts while three trained doctors and nurses continue to run from pillar to post for regularization/extension of their contracts. The doctors, nurses and staff are not getting their salaries from July 1, 2017 and have now been told by CADD that in order to avoid administrative issues, it was proposed not to extend their contract,” the parents had highlighted in their letter.