LAHORE: The chief minister has directed the health department to fill all teaching positions at the four newly set-up medical colleges in Punjab.

A department spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday the teaching posts were being filled by awarding five-year contracts to teachers to make Gujrawanal Medical College, Khwaja Safdar Medical College (Sialkot), Sahiwal Medical College and the Drea Ghazi Khan Medical College fully functional.

The government issued the directions after Pakistan Medical and Dental Council proposed action against the new medical colleges over acute shortage of teaching staff. The council had already de-recognised one of these medical colleges on similar ground, while another was yet to be inspected for registration.

The spokesperson said the teachers’ contract would be extendable and the health secretary had accorded approval to form separate recruitment committees for each medical college to fill the vacant positions.

He said the convener of each committee would be the divisional commissioner concerned. The principal of the medical college, a professor from the respective discipline, one each officer of additional secretary level from the health department, regulations wing and S&GAD would be members of these committees.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2015

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