ISLAMABAD: While staff from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) have warned of the hospital’s full closure next week, both government and staff leaders are positive about their meeting on Monday with Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) Dr Faisal Sultan (tomorrow).
In November 2020, President Dr. Arif Alvi released a decree putting the hospital under the jurisdiction of the Board of Governors (BoG).
BoG can deal with the affairs of Pims until it becomes MTI, according to the ordinance. On the advice of the search and appointment committee, the members were selected and informed by the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS).
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The members have named Dr Hamayun Mahmand as the chairman of the council.
Warn of closing down hospital if demands not met
The BoG has direct oversight and power of the hospital’s operations.
Dr Asfandyar Khan, Chairman of the Grand Health Alliance, said they had been protesting for the last 10 weeks while talking to Dharti News, but their concern could not be resolved.
We also had a meeting with the representatives of the BoG and a meeting with the SAPM is set to take place on Monday, in which a new copy of the Ordinance is supposed to be addressed. We also made a call for the full closing of the hospital, but if the ministry listens to our conditions, it will be withdrawn,” he said.
Dr. Khan said that the role of the workers as civil servants will not be altered.
When referring to Dharti News, SAPM Dr. Sultan said that those questioning MTI Ordience had not bothered to read it.
No one will be dismissed from service and it is also a baseless statement that the care costs will be raised as the hospital will continue to be funded by the state,” he said.”
He said it was unfortunate that a joint secretary from the Ministry was running the hospital. I think the hospital should have an administration to manage its affairs. I feel sorry as a doctor for deans and senior doctors visiting the ministry to get permission to attend a conference or leave for former Pakistan. Being half the age of physicians, in most cases, the bureaucrats vote on their applications and refuse their applications,” he said.
Dr Sultan said the MTI would not alter the position of the workers when reacting to an inquiry.
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The only difference the declaration would bring is that to guarantee their productivity, there will be a check on the workers. During duty hours, it would become difficult for them to stay out of the hospital. I would not have survived at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital (SKMCH) if I had shown indifference,’ he added.
It was very normal, Dr Sultan said, for people to resist the transition. He said that in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the MTI was launched and delivered well.
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