ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar visited the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) on Tuesday, where he assured the hospital management that he would play a role in the completion of the recruitment process and to make funding available for renovations and equipment.

Justice Nisar appeared satisfied with the performance of the hospital and praised its management.

After arriving at the hospital, the chief justice was guided to the Pims Cardiac Centre by the red line painted on the floor of the hospital to the relevant department.

Just after reaching the hospital CJP said that he wanted to see the cardiac surgery. He was told by the Executive Director Pims Dr Raja Amjad that he just has to follow the red line, painted on the floor, and he will automatically reach the cardiac centre.

Dr Mohammad Faisal, Dr Mahrukh Zahoor and other cardiac centre staff thanked the chief justice, saying their salaries had been released after three years because of his intervention. Justice Nisar in turn praised them for continuing to work at the hospital without being paid, allowing the centre to continue functioning.

Pims Executive Director Dr Raja Amjad told Dawn the chief justice visited the main emergency ward, the new VIP ward, the bone marrow transplant centre, the gynaecological department and newly constructed wards.

“The chief justice spent time in Pims and went to medical and surgical wards, the orthopaedic ward, the thalassemia centre, security arrangements. He even checked the toilets in the mother and child hospital. He said that he has visited a number of hospitals across the country but the management at Pims seemed better,” he said.

The chief justice also visited with patients during his visit and asked some if they were receiving free dialysis treatment.

He said he was ensuring that recruitments for the hospital are carried out, and hoped there would be further improvement at the hospital.

He said he wanted to ensure facilities for patients and said the Ministry of Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) should ensure the timely release of funding.

Dr Amjad said he would resign if the situation does not become ideal in 18 months. He added that all poor patients and patients at the cardiac centre will receive free treatment.

Speaking to Dawn, he said the chief justice had seemed satisfied. “This visit has given me encouragement and I will try to deliver better,” he said.

CJP directs private medical colleges to pay students’ stipends

During his visit, the chief justice was approached by a doctor who told him she was doing her house job but was not being paid by the hospital.

The hospital administration explained that since the doctor is a student at a private medical college, it was the college’s responsibility to pay her stipend.

The chief justice directed that private medical colleges should pay their students doing house jobs at government hospitals.

A number of private colleges lack quality hospitals, because of which their students prefer house jobs at government hospitals. Private colleges are bound to pay their students stipends but do not always do so. Dr Amjad told Dawn that since the chief justice has issued a directive, he will ask the Supreme Court registrar to issue written orders, after which private medical colleges will have to pay all their students doing their house jobs.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2018