LAHORE: The Punjab government has constituted an eight-member committee to implement its central induction policy for doctors’ postgraduate training at teaching institutions across the province.

“The committee will plan and supervise January 2017 induction of postgraduate trainees to various courses in universities and the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) till the joint admission board takes over the task,” said a source on Sunday.

Prof Dr Syed Muhammad Awais, a former professor of orthopaedics of King Edward Medical University (KEMU) and medical education adviser of the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department (SH&MED), would be the convener of the committee, said the source while quoting a notification of the SH&MED.

University of Health Sciences Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Junaid Aamir Khan, Fatima Jinnah Medical University Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Aamir Zaman and KEMU professor of ophthalmology and COVAS Principal Prof Dr Asad Aslam Khan would represent the medical fraternity on the committee. SH&MED Additional Secretary (Technical) Dr Salman Shahid, an additional secretary of Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department, a representative of the Punjab Information Technology Board besides another expert to be co-opted by the convener would be its members.

The University of Health Sciences has been requested to provide secretarial support to the committee, constituted with the aim to conduct flawless and smooth induction of doctors for the January 2017 intake by eliminating chances of monopoly and blackmailing by the medics mafia to accommodate blue-eyed candidates.

“Now, induction of all postgraduate trainee doctors will be made through a merit determination formula instead of interviews, showing zero tolerance towards any interference,” said the source, adding that in the future no trainee doctor would work on honorary basis and inductions would only be made against sanctioned posts.

More than 900 unpaid postgraduate trainee doctors would start getting a monthly stipend of approximately Rs70,000, as Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif approved a summary in this regard.

Last year, 1,300 unpaid postgraduate slots had been converted into paid ones while a few months ago the chief minister announced a package of Rs3.5 billion for the doctors.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2016