LAHORE: The senior faculty of the King Edward Medical University/Mayo Hospital has demanded replacement of institute’s Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Tahir Khalil with a professional after they questioned his “incompetence”.

In a meeting of the hospital committee, which was attended by almost all professors/deans and heads of departments, the participants took up several complaints against the MS. One of the complaints was non-distribution of life-saving hepatitis C medicine and out-of-order medical and surgical equipment in various departments of the institute, including accident and emergency unit, an official privy to the information told Dawn.

He said some of the senior faculty members claimed that hepatitis C medicine for over 70,000 patients was lying unused in the hospital’s store for six months due to the “negligence” of Dr Khalil. The meeting was told that the medicine had been provided under Hepatitis Control Programme to all major teaching hospitals. The best combination of the two drugs, including Sovaldi, was provided to the hospital with over 95 per cent cure ratio, the senior doctors told the meeting.

All teaching hospitals, including Lahore General Hospital and even the Yakki Gate Hospital, had consumed the stock, but Mayo Hospital locked the live-saving drug in its store. Administration of the medical unit concerned informed the MS several times about the issue, but he turned a deaf year each time, the official claimed. Resultantly, all registered patients were referred to other hospitals.

Senior teachers complain hepatitis C drug not given to patients

The meeting was told that life-saving drugs worth millions were about to expire and it would be a huge loss to the national exchequer as well as poor patients. The combination of drugs is suggested to a hepatitis C patient for 12-week use, the medical experts added.

The senior faculty further said that the central endoscopy unit was lying abandoned owing to non-availability of endoscopy machine, the official said, holding the MS responsible for not initiating procurement of the equipment despite being requested several times. On getting no response, senior doctors engaged a philanthropist to donate the equipment, he added.

The philanthropist transferred Rs300,000 to the account of Mayo Hospital five months back that was being operated by the MS. An equal amount had been donate earlier for equipment procurement. However, Dr Khalil was not providing the donated amount to the medical unit concerned to purchase the equipment, the meeting was informed.

The MS allegedly overlooked another important matter of two life-saving equipments of the emergency unit lying out of order for many months as a result of which patients with certain problems were referred to private or other government hospitals in the city.

The meeting was informed that Dr Khalil was not suitable to head any government hospital. The faculty also stated that he had never headed any public institute; he was appointed as one of the health directors in the DG Health Office and he was performing both jobs at the same time.

The faculty demanded action against the MS and arrangements for patients.

Mayo Hospital Chief Executive Prof Asad Aslam Khan confirmed to Dawn the issues raised in the hospital committee meeting, saying that he had issued orders to resolve all matters without delay.

“As soon as the matter of hepatitis C drugs was taken up, I ordered the MS to depute staff, spare room for them and distribute the drugs to patients without wasting any time,” he said, adding that the donated amount will be utilised for the purpose it was donated for besides making functional all equipment lying unused.

He said the designation of MS was converted into chief operating officer (COO) and Dr Khalil appointed as the first COO of the institute.

“Since I was not informed of the matter in writing, the issues could not be addressed,” he claimed, adding that in future such issues would be taken up on priority.

Dr Khalil refused to comment on the issue when contacted.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2018