PESHAWAR: NWFP approves service structure of paramedics
By Ashfaq Yusufzai
PESHAWAR, Jan 4: a service structure for paramedics in NWFP has been approved. According to sources, the system would cost an additional amount of Rs 19 million annually and would benefit 8,790 paramedics
working in different health outlets in the province.
"The long-awaited paramedics' service structure was discussed elaborately in the last cabinet meeting on Dec 20. The cabinet formed a sub- committee under the senior minister to look into the matter and decided that the committee's decision would be final and there would no need to place it before the cabinet again," said sources.
The sub-committee in its meeting on Dec 23 under the Senior Minister, Sirajul Haq, gave approval to the new service structure. The summary had been approved by the health minister and would soon be sent to the chief minister, the sources added.
The finance department, which presently is spending Rs 45 million on salaries of 8,790 paramedics per annum in the NWFP, would be spending an additional amount of Rs 19 million per year.
It was pointed out that most of the staff was appointed in grade-6 and retired in the same grade even after serving for 25 years. To improve the standard of their education and improve chances of their promotion, a task force was constituted in 1997 which ultimately recommended the stoppage of a one-year training and recommended to the government to open colleges for paramedics so that they could get higher education.
The proposed service structure divides the staff in 54 different disciplines, which have been grouped in 14 categories. According to the proposed new formula, 80 per cent or 6,944 of the total number of paramedics would move to BPS-9, 12 per cent or 1,042 to BPS-12, 3.5 per cent or 314 to BPS-14, 2.5 per cent or 216 to BPS-16, 1.09 per cent or 161 to BPS-17, 0.09 per cent or eight to BPS-18, 0.04 per cent or three to BPS-19 and 0.01 per cent or one to BPS-20.
The provincial government, which is paying slightly more than Rs 44.9 million in salaries to the paramedics every year, will be spending a little more than Rs 46 million, official said.
Sources said that presently the number of paramedics in BPS- 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 was 8,308, 217 were BPS-10, 11 and BPS-12, 18 in BPS-14, 15 in BPS-16 and 12 in BPS-17.
Earlier, on several occasions, the finance department had rejected the proposed service structure of the paramedic staff owing to hefty amount involved in it, sources said.
Provincial president of the Paramedical Association, Sirajuddin Burki said that the different governments had been promising to approve the much-awaited service structure for the staff, but for one reason or the other it could not be implemented.
According to the new service structure, the paramedics had been placed in 14 categories, which include surgery, pathology, radiology, ophthalmology, cardiology, dialysis, pharmacy, pulmonology, anaesthesia, dentistry, physiotherapy, primary health care, primary health care (multi-purpose) and gastroenterology.
Mr Burki told Dawn that most of the staff, including, dispensers, laboratory, X-ray, operation theatre, anaesthesia and ECG technicians retired in the same grades in which they are appointed.
"The paramedics formed a tricycle along with doctors and nurses which provided health care facilities to the patients," he said and added that the doctors and nurses had got their service structure, while the paramedics are running from pillar to post to get a service structure for themselves.
