RAWALPINDI: Finally Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education department has appointed medical superintendents (MS) in three government-run hospitals of the city after two months.

Professor Dr Farzana Zafar was appointed medical superintendent of District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital.

She is working in BPS-20 and is the senior most doctor in DHQ Hospital.

The positions of medical superintendents had been lying vacant for the last two months

DHQ Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Khalid Randhawa was transferred in February and the post was filled by Dr Khalid Abbas Janjua, working in BPS-18, creating unrest among the doctors who termed the appointment a violation of law. According to the doctors, the post of medical superintendent was to be filled by an officer working in BPS-20.

Dr Nasir Mehmood has been appointed the medical superintendent in Holy Family Hospital (HFH).

He is working in BPS-20 as the medical superintendent at Rawalpindi Institute of Urology and had also served as the acting medical superintendent in Benazir Bhutto Hospital and Holy Family Hospital for two months.

The seat of medical superintendent of HFH fell vacant after the transfer of Dr Shahzad Ahmed who was transferred after the visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan in February.

The prime minister was not satisfied with the healthcare facilities being provided to the patients in the hospital. The seat had been lying vacant for the last two months.

Similarly, Dr Rafique Ahmed has been appointed medical superintendent for Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH). He is also a BPS-20 officer, serving as director Health Services in Rawalpindi Division.

The seat of medical superintendent fell vacant after the transfer of Dr Tariq Niazi who was suspended after a telephonic conversation between Dr Niazi and Punjab Law Minister Mohammad Basharat Raja went viral on social media.

The issue was criticised by young doctors who observed strikes thrice last month demanding restoration of Dr Tariq Niazi as BBH medical superintendent.

The provincial government agreed to appoint Dr Niazi as medical superintendent if he appeared in the interviews for the medical superintendents’ appointment.

However, Dr Niazi refused to appear before the board of Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education department.

Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education department sought applications in March for appointment of medical superintendents in 13 hospitals of the province.

Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education department sought the applications from the interested candidates and doctors working in BPS-19 in Services Hospital, Kot Khawaja Saeed Teaching Hospital, Mayo Hospital, Shahdara Hospital, Lady Willingdon Hospital in Lahore, Wazirabad Institute of Cardiology, Sardar Begum Hospital Sialkot, Haji Abdul Qayum Hospital Sahiwal, Civil Hospital Bahawalpur and District Headquarters Hospital Gujranwala.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2019