LAHORE, May 15: Three major associations representing medical community unanimously proposed on Tuesday division of Punjab healthcare system in four different zones.

A draft of the proposal in this regard was presented by the representatives of the Pakistan Medical Association, Punjab chapter of the Medical Teachers Association and Young Doctors Association, Punjab, in the second meeting of the nine-member committee constituted by Punjab chief minister to review service structure for the doctors in all cadres.

Presided over by special assistant to chief minister on health Khawaja Salman Rafique at Services & General Administration Department (S&GAD) the meeting was also attended by secretaries of health, law, prosecution departments and additional secretaries of finance, regulation and S&GAD departments.

Quoting a portion of the recommended draft containing information about zone-wise distribution, a source said it was proposed that all the established teaching institutions of the province should be categorised in Zone-I, the four newly established teaching institutions and all the district headquarters hospitals (DHQs) in Zone-II, all the tehsil headquarters hospitals (THQs) and all basic health units (BHUs) and rural health centres (RHCs) located within the 20-kilometer radius of the THQs in Zone-III and all other BHUs should be categorised in Zone-IV.

He said the associations proposed hundred per cent of basic salary for the doctors working in Zone-II, 150 per cent of basic salary for those in Zone-III and 200 per cent of basic pay as incentive for the doctors in Zone-IV.

A complete ban on construction of new medical colleges, both in public and private sector in the Punjab capital, was also proposed in the draft.

At the same time the associations have urged the government to set up new medical colleges in the public and private sectors in the far-flung districts of the province to create educational opportunities for the students from poor and middle-class families of these areas.

They also proposed health professional allowance for the doctors under the new service structure.

“The medical associations have demanded hundred per cent increase in the running basic salary (of doctors) as health professional allowance”, the source said. The association mentioned in the draft that at present Shaikh Zayed Hospital Lahore doctors were already drawing the allowance.

They also demanded upgrade of doctors’ scale from BPS-17 to BPS-18 which would cost Rs1.9 billion, he said.

They further proposed an increase of 200 per cent in the running basic pay of all cadres of doctors as ‘non-practicing allowance (NPA)’.

“The said NPA should be declared optional for all categories of doctors”, the source said, adding that those who wanted to continue private practice should not be entitled to the incentive.

A complete ban was proposed on the private practice of the doctors of all cadres at the strength of state-run health facilities of the province after a period of 10 year or so.

The medical associations mentioned that the total estimated financial impact of the proposed service structure would be Rs15 billion. The doctors also demanded a new health management cadre.

Besides, they proposed at least one DHQ should be attached with a teaching institution. The health department should declare mandatory for every senior registrar or assistant professor of each specialty of the teaching hospital to work in the attached-DHQ for a period of three months on rotation basis, it was suggested.

“The powers of granting all categories of official leaves, including earned leaves, EX-Pakistan, casual leaves should be transferred to the administrations of health facilities”, quoting the proposed draft, the source said. The transfer of these powers required no amendment in the laws, the representatives apprised the authorities in the meeting.

The draft also proposed establishment of health service academy for enhancing training capability of the doctors, particularly those in the management cadre.