ISLAMABAD: Employees of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) on Monday held a protest for two hours and demanded that the government withdraw a proposal for running the hospital via a board of governors.

The government has been considering running the hospital through a board of governors which will have representation from parliament, health and finance experts. It will appoint a chief operating officer (COO), who can be from outside the hospital, to run the affairs of the hospital.

Speaking at the protest, All Employees Pims Restoration Movement Spokesperson Dr Asfandyrar Khan said it has been unanimously decided that the protest will be intensified if the government does not take its decision back.

Board will include MPs, health and finance experts; can appoint COO from outside hospital

“We cannot be pressurised by management. Many times in the past, management has tried to pressurise employees but they failed in dividing us. We are united and action against any employee will be considered action against all employees and government will face the consequences,” he said.

“Pims has 4,000 employees and they will not tolerate any conspiracy against them. All staff including doctors and professors is in our favour. We can close the hospital because the privatisation of the hospital is unacceptable,” Dr Khan said.

He added that employees can protest outside the National Press Club, block roads or go on strike and that the protests will continue till employee’s demands are met.

He told Dawn that during the PPP government, the hospital was declared the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical University due to which employees’ status as civil servants changed and they were deprived of many facilities.

He said that PTI leaders Asad Umar and Ali Awan used to participate in the protests held by Pims employees during the PML-N government.

“Because of PTI support, we succeeded and the PML-N government agreed to declare the hospital a government institute and restore the status of its employees as that of civil servants. However, now, PTI is going to make a board of governors to run the hospital,” he said.

A member of the employees association, Mohammad Sadaqat Awansaid the association has always struggled for the rights of the staff and will continue its efforts to ensure employees do not suffer.

Another leader of the association, Shahid Jan Khattak said the government should not undermine employees.

“We are united and we have proved in the past that we can achieve anything because of our unity. We are in consultation with employees in other hospitals and they have assured us they will support us,” he said.

The employees marched from the administration block to the Mother and Chid Hospital and gathered outside the office of the vice chancellor to hold their protest.

A few days ago, MNA Ali Awan, who was elected from Islamabad, told Dawn it was unfortunate that the employees were holding protests.

“During the previous government, PTI had established boards of governors in hospitals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against which employees had gone to court. However, the court said hospital staff had no right to form unions. Employees will not suffer due to the boards of governors,” he had said.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2019