PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health department has decided to look into the lawsuits filed by its employees and settle the same out-of-court, according to sources.

“The department has been facing an uphill task due to cases filed against it by its employees because these affect patients’ care. There were some 3,000 cases, which have been reduced to about 1,700 during the past two years but situation is still not good as far as its impact on health delivery is concerned,” said sources.

The issue was discussed in a meeting with Chief Secretary Mohammad Azam Khan on Thursday wherein it was decided to make arrangements to resolve the cases within the department and make sure that the employees get to their duty places instead of visiting courts.

In the light of the discussion in the meeting, Health Secretary Abid Majeed formed a three-member committee, with additional secretary (development) health department as its chairman and deputy secretary and section officer (budget) as its members, to scrutinise each service matter case pending in Services Tribunal or in Peshawar High Court to look into the possibility of resolving the same administratively.

Committee formed to scrutinise each case

The committee notified by health department on Thursday has been tasked to see if the cases of the civil servants can be resolved.

According to a notification, the committee would scrutinise the cases and recommend resolution of matters where the employees had genuine concerns. The committee would decide about cases that can be resolved at the level of health department or government to make sure that these are settled out-of-courts and the aggrieved employees come to their duty stations.

To expedite the process, the committee would meet thrice a week and would make recommendations about 15 or more cases in each meeting. The cases would be forwarded to health secretary for negative or positive action.

The legal officials as well as section officers in litigation department have also been directed to extend support to the committee for prompt outcome in the larger public interest.

Copies of the notification have also been forwarded to relevant departments to ensure that all cases are taken up by the committee.

Official sources told Dawn that endless series of litigation by employees had become an albatross around the neck of the health department as in majority of the cases the employees obtained stay orders against administrative orders.

They said that health department did not have many resources to pursue litigations and bring back the employees to their duties and as result sufferings of patients had been increased.

Sources said that health department was making efforts to do away with legal matters in the courts but number of cases against department was filing up.

“Majority of the cases are related to administrative orders issued by department from time to time but that were stayed by the courts on the request of the aggrieved employees,” they added.

They said that challenging administrative orders by staffers of health department was a common practice. The long-drawn battles between the employees and the department were taking heavy toll on the people, who sought treatment at the public sector hospitals.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2017