‘Govt’s hands are tied till court decision on JPMC’s devolution’

Karachi
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Wednesday expressed his helplessness about making arrangements for the payment of health allowance to the protesting paramedical staff of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and National Institute of Child Health unless the constitutional petition filed against the devolution of hospitals was decided by the Sindh High Court, compelling the employees to continue their boycott of duties for the third consecutive day on Wednesday.
Presiding over a meeting to discuss the proposed strategy for resolving problems of the JPMC at the CM House, the chief minister directed the Sindh health department, Advocate General and private counsels concerned to first obtain a the decision by the court.
Officials who attended the meeting included health minister Jam Mehtab Dahar, chief secretary Mohammad Siddique Memon, health secretary Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo and Executive Director JPMC Dr Anis Bhatti.
The chief minister said the provincial government was ready to work out a plan for protecting the interests of JPMC employees but its hands were tied because of the pending litigation.
The chief minister said it was ironic that on one side, the doctors and paramedical staff had challenged the authority of the Sindh government in court by filing a petition against the devolution of hospitals to the province, on the other they demanded from the same government to ensure their perks and privileges.
He said neither the Sindh nor the federal government was in a position to decide the fate of the JPMC and its employees because the matter was sub judice, and doctors and paramedical staff were only punishing patients unnecessarily by boycotting duties.
Officials of the JPMC informed The News that more than a 100 surgical procedures and operations were postponed, out-patient treatment could not be held, causing the patients to return home or approach other visit other public or private hospitals for the third consecutive day, due to the ongoing boycott and protest by the paramedical staff to demand payment of health allowance equal to their basic salaries every month.
Officials said over a 100 major and minor surgical procedures, operations and medical interventions could not be performed by surgeons due to the paramedics’ strike because they were essential members of operation theatres.
Moreover, chemical examinations of blood and other body fluids, X-rays and other sophisticated tests such as MRI and CT scans could not be held as well.
“For past three days, I’ve been visiting the Jinnah hospital for a CT scan of my son who was injured in a road accident. The doctors said they could not start treatment without a CT scan and due to the strike by the employees my child is not getting treatment. His condition is deteriorating with each passing day,” said an elderly man from Lyari.
Several other patients who could not be seen by doctors at out-patients departments also criticised the JPMC administration, its paramedical staff and the Sindh government for creating immense problems in seeking medical treatment at JPMC and NICH, saying due to their internal rifts people suffered.
Meanwhile, a representative of the JPMC paramedics, Ismail Jiskani claimed the chief minister had refused to pay health allowance to the paramedical staff of Jinnah hospital and NICH and had demanded that the petition against devolution be withdrawn from the high court.
“Today, three of our representatives were taken to CM House by the JPMC’s executive director Dr Anisuddin Bhatti and NICH director Dr Jamal Raza,” he said.
“The chief minister did not meet our representatives but after a meeting with the directors, secretaries and legal officers, told paramedics to first withdraw the petition from the Sindh High Court and then seek health allowance.”
“The constitutional petition against the devolution of hospitals had been filed by doctors and how could the paramedics ask senior doctors like Dr Seemin Jamali and Dr Nadeem Rizvi to withdraw their case so we can get our due rights?” said Jiskani.
“The Sindh government is not serious is giving us our rights. Even after the petition was file, the government has approved the payment of allowances to the nursing staff and doctors on two separate occasions.”
He said the paramedics would continue their strike and boycott of health services till Thursday morning when they would meet again to decide their future course of action.
The JPMC spokesman Dr Javed Jamali confirmed that surgeries and other health services were being affected due to paramedics’ boycott and despite repeated negotiations, they were not ready to lend an ear to pragmatic problems and end their boycott on humanitarian grounds.
“The summary for the payment of health allowance is with the law department and as soon as it gives it opinion on the matter, the matter would be resolved,” said Dr Jamali. “This will take a few days but the paramedics are not listening to any argument or advice.”