RAWALPINDI: The transfer of the Holy Family Hospital (HFH) medical superintendent and a deputy medical superintendent has raised concerns among doctors, following the prime minister’s surprise visit to the hospital on Monday.

Other deputy medical superintendents have refused to work at night, claiming they do not have the authority to provide relief to patients which is the duty of the hospital’s administration.

HFH medical superintendent Dr Shahzad Ahmed and deputy medical superintendent Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan were transferred on Tuesday.

During unannounced visits to HFH and the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Raja Bazaar, Prime Minister Imran Khan found that the HFH administration was negligent towards facilitating patients.

National Health Services Minister Aamer Mehmood Kiani, who had accompanied Mr Khan, visited HFH again where he met with Rawalpindi Medical University Vice Chancellor Dr Mohammad Umer and senior HFH administration officials.

The minister passed along Mr Khan’s criticisms and asked that the healthcare facilities are the hospitals be improved.

He pointed out that patients in the gynaecology ward should be provided special care, as he saw three women sharing a bed in the hospital as well as a lack of medicines.

After the meeting, the Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department on Tuesday issued a notification transferring the medical and deputy medical superintendents and giving Dr Nasir Mehmood additional charge as the HFH medical superintendent.

Dr Mehmood was nominated to be the medical superintendent at the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology two months ago, but the institute is still under construction.

Mr Kiani told Dawn that the prime minister would not tolerate negligence in improving the facilities available at government-run hospital. He said patients were suffering in the absence of facilities at hospitals, which concerned the prime minister.

After Mr Khan’s visit, Mr Kiani said he returned to HFH and asked them open up vacant rooms and wards to make space for gynaecology patients.

“As many as 100 beds will be available through the new arrangements, and the remaining departments will get more facilities in the coming days as I will visit the hospital again in a day or two,” he added.

He said the last government mostly utilised the beds for dengue patients, but since dengue season has ended they should be utilised for serious patients.

“There is dire need for better management, and it is not necessary that doctors will manage things best, and the suspension orders were issued as the former administration failed to manage things,” he added.

He said he had sought details regarding medicines, as well as the pathology department, canteen contracts and other matters.

Also on Tuesday, deputy medical superintendents refused to work at night starting Wednesday and said the medical university’s vice chancellor has been informed.

“The transfer of deputy medical superintendent Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan was unjustified, as the prime minister asked about the availability of medicines and other facilities that do not come under the deputy medical superintendent’s authority,” HFH deputy medical superintendent Dr Nadeem Malik told Dawn.

He said the hospital administration does not provide anything to deputy medical superintendents at night, and they do not even have the authority to change a light bulb.

“We refused to work at night from Wednesday and informed the administration in this regard,” he added.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2019