Interim BoG approves two major specialities in KTH

PESHAWAR: The interim Board of Governors (BoG) has approved the establishment of two major specialities in Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), ie general orthopaedic and trauma and gastroenterology, and allocation of space for the two units.

Interestingly, the previous BoG headed by Dr Faisal Sultan had approved these two specialities but then could not implement the decision of the board, allegedly due to the influence of certain powerful elements in the institution.

The previous BoG had approved a third general orthopaedic and trauma unit but failed to arrange space for the speciality or provide a fund for the recruitment of the staff.

The present interim BoG, led by former secretary health Mushtaq Jadoon, has approved space for the general orthopaedic unit in the newly constructed five-storey building of Accident, Emergency and Trauma section.

Mushtaq Jadoon said that Prof Mohammad Shoaib would lead the third general orthopaedic and trauma unit. He hoped that with the third unit being established in the A&ED, patients brought there in trauma would get orthopaedic services round the clock. Another important speciality that remained overlooked in KTH was of gastroenterology.

According to sources and members of the BoG, certain influential faculty members intentionally delayed development of this speciality due to reasons are best known to them.

Even the previous BoG had approved the establishment of the gastroenterology unit but then kept quiet over it after some of the powerful people intervened.

The interim board first took courage to reinitiate this forgotten project and directed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s first female qualified gastroenterologist, Dr Sheema Khan, to take its charge and start OPD. She is working as an assistant professor. She has double postgraduate qualifications, one in general medicine and second in gastroenterology.

However, the BoG allegedly came under pressure from some powerful elements and refused to give her any designation. The board rather decided to advertise the position of head of the gastroenterology department and appointment from outside.

Insiders in KTH said that the BoG should recognise services of the female gastroenterologist and encourage her to lead the unit. “She has served under extremely difficult circumstances and provided excellent services to the patients,” said a senior faculty member.