Hospital’s woman worker cries victimisation

Shahdara hospital MS, police deny allegations

By Amer Malik and Arshad Dogar

LAHORE

The management of Government Teaching Hospital, Shahdara, Lahore, has allegedly penalised an employee for exposing the malpractices in the hospital.

The hospital’s incumbent medical superintendent has allegedly stopped the salary of a female employee Shaista Aamir, Computer Operator, for exposing the alleged corruption in bogus recruitments and misappropriation of funds and medicines from the hospital, and didn’t release the salary during the period of suspension despite repeated instructions from the office of Directorate General of Health Services, Punjab, in violation of rules.

Ms Shaista Aamir was suspended and asked to report to the office of DGHS, Punjab, and an inquiry was launched against her.

Ms Shaista Aamir, also serving as the Focal Person of Human Resource Management Information Systems, claimed she had found grave irregularities in appointments on bogus certificates and made her intentions to expose them clear. As a result, several staff members allegedly confined her in a room and tortured her which was confirmed in the medico-legal report on November 17, 2015. “As I was assigned to make the data online and would have been held responsible for irregularities, so inevitably I have to submit a complaint regarding bogus appointments in the hospital,” she said, alleging that the complaint for an inquiry into corruption in hospital turned the MS against her.

She said her husband Rana Aamir was also beaten in an attempt to save his wife from guards and other staff members, who attacked her allegedly at the behest of the Medical Superintendent. During the brawl, the lady also lost her educational certificates, including BSCS (Hons), ICS, matriculation, domicile, experience certificates as well as two cell phones.

The couple and Rana Aamir’s two brothers were sent to lock-up in Shahdara police station and they were released on bail after 15 days. Meanwhile, the hospital administration also stopped the treatment of Rana Aamir, a chronic Hepatitis C patient, despite clear orders from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat regarding his free treatment. On the other hand, the couple’s family also suffered a lot as Rana Aamir’s mother, another chronic Hepatitis C patient, was unable to deal with the situation and the couple’s children also couldn’t appear in examinations.

While claiming the bogus appointments and other issues a tip of the iceberg of which she has documentary evidence, Shaista Aamir said that she had also submitted a complaint to the Health Department, Chief Secretary and Chief Minister’s Office regarding alleged corruption in the hospital.

Providing documentary evidence of the bogus appointments in the hospital, she revealed that an employee was recruited on bogus diploma which can be verified from the fact that dates of his BCS qualification from Azad Kashmir and experience certificates from Lahore were almost same.

She alleged that three members of the clerical staff made several fake recruitments on bogus certificates. For example, she alleged, they deliberately cleared the appointment of an ECG Technician after counterfeiting the diploma certificate of another employee Rana Hasan. Later, Rana Hasan also moved a case and sought a department inquiry.

She urged the chief minister to launch a comprehensive probe into the hospital affairs. She also urged the authorities concerned to release of her salary and restore her service.

Talking to The News, MS Dr Khalid Hussain rejected all allegations. He contended that Shaista and her husband were involved in blackmailing employees by threatening them of publishing news against them. The lady employee enjoyed full liberty and used to draw salaries regularly despite remaining absent from her duty. On November 17 last year, he alleged, Rana Aamir along with some goons attacked the staff and also injured Dr Zulfiqar Butt, Additional MS Emergency, who himself is a heart patient. “The goons created panic after they closed the main gate of the hospital,” he said, adding he got an FIR registered against Rana Aamir who was later arrested by Shahdara police.

Following this incident, the health department suspended Shaista who was ordered to report to the office of the DGHS, Punjab.

When asked if any inquiry was launched against her complaints regarding corruption and bogus appointments, the MS said he assumed office some six months back and no appointment was made by him. He said he was ready to initiate probe if any proofs were given in this regard. He said that he had adopted zero-tolerance on corruption and mismanagement, and in this regard, he had got registered an FIR against an employee for possessing bogus certificates and had ordered recovery of salaries of three years.

Meanwhile, the victim’s husband has alleged that police didn’t initiate action on their emergency call when they were being tortured. He alleged Shahdara police had implicated him and his brothers in a fake case at the bhest of the hospital administration.

He alleged that police were protecting the accused persons after taking bribe. He said that they got recorded cross-version of the incident through court order but police did not include the relevant sections of law. He said that he had submitted application to the DIG Investigations for change of investigation.

In-charge Investigation Shahdara Zulfiqar Cheema said police had been conducting investigation into the case on merit. He added cross-version was also recorded following the court orders. About the allegation of taking bribe and supporting the MS, Cheema denied it saying that it was not possible in the modern era. He said the complainant had submitted application for the change of investigation and the board meeting was scheduled to be held on Tuesday (today).