KARACHI, Dec 15: For the first time in more than a decade the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) is bracing for a tough one to one election.

The PMA election will be held on the 23rd of this month and both the groups have urged doctors to participate with enthusiasm.

The current election has revealed mismanagement and functional flaws of the body. Several complaints have been received regarding the voters’ list prepared in a haphazard way.

It has been pointed out to returning officer that new voters’s list contains only the voters’ numbers and names, whereas it should have the PMDC (Pakistan Medical and Dental Council) numbers of doctors along with their fathers/husbands’ names.

Another point of concern is that the list is not in alphabetical order, making it difficult for voters to find their names from the 23 pages, and in the absence of their residential or office addresses the candidates will face difficulty in approaching voters.

The contestant for the post of general secretary has lodged a complaint to the returning officer that the existing general secretary has a list with addresses.

The challengers have grouped under the democratic panel with Dr Naseer Baloch contesting for the post of president, followed by Dr Suleman Otho and Dr Sohail Sehto for vice-president, whereas Dr Jabbar Khattak is candidate for the post of general secretary.

The retaining side includes Dr Haseeb Alam for presidentship, Dr Sirajudaula and Dr Arshad Malik for vice- presidents, while Dr Habib Soomro is contesting for the post of general secretaryship.

The main opposition comes from a number of junior doctors who have questioned the ineffective role of the PMA during several crises this year. There has been no response from the PMA in the recent issue of admission tests in medical collages.

Another problem is the issue of regularisation of about 1300 contract doctors working with the provincial health department for more than a decade.

Some of the senior doctors are also not satisfied with the PMA administration over the issue of the NOC required for doing a job abroad.

Other provinces have not stopped issuing NOCs to doctors, whereas doctors in Sindh are left with only two options, either quit their existing job to proceed abroad or give up the opportunity.