KARACHI, April 9: Following the recent transfers, the post of district officer, responsible for administrative and financial matters of seven hospitals of the defunct KMC, is lying vacant, causing a delay in the movement of hospital files at the time when the final budget meetings are being held with the finance department of the city government.
All files related to administrative and financial matters of the seven hospitals, including the Abassi Shaheed Hospital, the Sobraj Maternity Hospital and the Spencer Eye Hospital, move through the DO admn II, since the medical superintendents of the hospitals have been rendered powerless by the devolution system.
The first officer to occupy this post was Dr Humayun Farrukh, but he was suspended by the minister for local government on March 11 following a strike at the Abassi Shaheed Hospital.
Basically, the post of DO admn II does not exists in the approved organogram of the health department of the city government; it was created on the directives of city Nazim Naimatullah Khan to extend support to the employees of the defunct of KMC, as the majority of administrative posts were held by the doctors devolved from the Sindh government.
According to the organogram, the administrative control of the hospital devolved the from Sindh government lies with the DO admn I, besides there is the DO hospitals to look into the affairs of hospitals.
After Dr Humayun’s suspension, Dr Nazeer Kolachi, DO hospitals, was directed by the EDO HRM, through a letter dated March 17, to hold the additional charge of DO admn II .
Later, on March 25 the EDO HRM issued a letter authorising Dr Ashraf Siddiqui, MS Primary Care Hospital Lyari, to assume the charge of DO admn II, based upon his previous experience at various administrative posts.
However, the same week Dr Ashraf Siddiqui was directed by the EDO health to relieve charge to Dr Sultan Mustafa, who is assistant professor in the Karachi Medical and Dental College and head of the paediatrics department.
The post has been lying vacant for more than two weeks as Dr Sultan Mustafa is not accepting it on the technical ground that the transfer letter must mention that he would be holding the additional charge of DO admn II apart from his duties in the KMDC, to secure the time needed by him to qualify for associate professor.
As per notifications issued by the Sindh government, administrative power vested in the EDO is up to grade 15 only, while the DCO can order transfers and postings of the employees of grade 12 to 15.
For grade 16 and 17 employees, the DCO has to consult the district Nazim before issuing any orders, but there is no mention of the officers of grade 18 and above.—PPI
