February 20, 2008	Wednesday	Safar 12, 1429

MIRPURKHAS, Feb 19: The decision of the Mirpurkhas district government not to renew contract of at least 19 doctors has generated a crisis -like situation for the administration of Mirpurkahs Civil Hospital.

Of these 19 doctors, seven had been performing their duty in different departments of the hospital.

They included Dr Saqib, Dr Nadeem Khokhar, Dr Mohammad Naeem, Dr Imran Khan, Dr Faheem Akhtar, Dr Mir Mukhtiar Ali and Dr Abdul Rehman.

According to sources, over 30 male and female medical officers were recruited on extendable contract and their period of service was extended on the basis of good efficiency report. Each medical officer is drawing a salary of Rs 10,000 per month.

Their contract expired on Feb 7 which could not be renewed by the district government till date which is further aggravating the situation.

When contacted Dr Roshan Ali Bhatti, Civil Surgeon of Civil Hospital Mirpurkhas, maintained that after relieving the seven contract doctors from civil hospital, the hospital was hit by a crisis and he was facing difficulties to run the hospital.

He said that the hospital required a gynecologist, a physician, a radiologist, a senior woman medical officer, an ortheopaedic surgeon, a psychiatrist, a skin specialist, four senior medical officers, four senior women medical officers, three medical officers, two women medical officers and a physiotherapist.

He said that he had already sent good efficiency report of theseven relieved contact doctors of the hospital to the district government.