FAISALABAD: A district headquarters hospital lady doctor has been unable to start her FCPS-II specialised training for more than five months allegedly because of a rift between College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan regional director and the hospital administration.

The Council of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) Regional Director Prof Dr Asghar Butt has refused training to Dr Asma Khalid of the DHQ hospital’s dermatology ward citing the facility lacked the number of beds required to meet the council criteria.

Dr Asma had submitted an application on July 11 last to the DHQ hospital Ms seeking postgraduate training required for completion of her FCPS-II (Dermatology) under the supervision of Prof Dr Shahid Javed Akthar, the head of Dermatology department.

The MS forwarded the application to Dr Butt asking him to inform whether slot for PG training was available so that further action could be taken.

In his reply to the MS, Dr Butt had noted, “The numbers of beds in dermatology ward have been reduced which does not fulfill the required strength. It is humbly submitted that till the required strength is not achieved, the slot is not recommended.”

Talking to Dawn, MS Dr Arif Ali contradicted Dr Butt’s stance and said recently the number of beds in the ward had been increased and now it was more than the CPSP requirement.According to sources, Dr Asma’s selection of Dr Akthar as supervisor had landed her in trouble as Dr Butt did not like to the senior dermatologist in the role (of supervisor).

The hospital’s dermatology department has three CPSP approved supervisors – Dr Muhammad Arif, registered with the CPSP on Nov 13, 2008, Dr Akthar on Dec 18, 2009 and Dr Aneela, wife of Dr Butt, who got registered with the council on Feb 9, 2011.

On the other hand, the CPSP had also asked Dr Asma to approach it through the regional director in response to an application filed by her for her RTMC registration required for completion of FCPS in Dermatology.

CPSP Senior Executive Officer Jawaid Ghaffar in his reply to Dr Asma’s email on Aug 16 said that she should submit her experience certificate for training she undertook with her previous supervisor on the institution’s letter head signed by head of the institute as per college requirement. A copy of the email had also been forwarded to Dr Butt by Mr Ghaffar.Dr Asma had dispatched documents to the CPSP through its regional centre in September last. Getting no response, she approached the council on Oct 29 last and informed Mr Ghaffar that all requirements had been fulfilled.

Sources said the lady doctor had been waiting for a reply from the CPSP as January 2014 was fast approaching. Without getting registered with CPSP, she could neither start her training not get the pay, they added.

Dr Butt told Dawn the ward had been inspected and recognised in 2009 when beds strength matched the CPSP criteria. But, he claimed that at present the ward had only 12 beds while CPSP required 20-25 beds for training.