ISLAMABAD: The special assistant to the prime minister on national health services (NHS) has decided to ensure that specialists are available at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) during duty hours.

On directions from Special Assistant Dr Zafar Mirza, joint Pims Executive Director Dr Anjum Javed issued a strongly worded circular warning that doctors absent from duty without authorisation would face disciplinary action.

The circular stated: “It has been observed that senior faculty members of different specialities are not present in their respective out patient departments (OPD) without intimating to authority which is causing a lot of inconvenience for the patients and has been viewed seriously by the higher authorities i.e. SAPM.”

It added: “Moreover some of the medical staff is in habit of leaving the place of duty before closing hours/timings which is an act of indiscipline on their part and needs to be avoided strictly.

“Therefore all the senior faculty members/heads of departments are hereby directed to be more punctual and ensuring presence of all staff working under their control.”

Circular issued by ED says senior doctors, specialists absent from OPDs would face disciplinary action

A doctor at the hospital said it had become routine for senior physicians to be absent.

“Those who come to the hospital leave after some time. I personally know of a number of incidents in which surgeons went to private hospitals during their duty hours at Pims and performed surgeries there. The management tries to ask senior doctors to ensure their presence, but they cannot force them,” he said.

A former Pim executive director who asked not to be named said that he tried and failed to ensure senior doctors were present in OPDs during his tenure.

“I still remember a message was given to me by senior doctors that they earn five times more from private hospitals as compared to Pims, and would resign if anybody pressured them. It is not going to be easy to ensure attendance of the doctors,” he said.

He added: “While Dr Javed Akram was vice chancellor Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto University and Pims was attached to the university, private practice was started in the hospital but a large number of senior doctors refused to practice at Pims because they had commitments with private hospitals.”

A senior NHS ministry official who also asked to remain anonymous said the only way to ensure senior doctors were present at the hospital was biometric attendance.

“They should be made to mark their attendance at arrival, break time and before leaving. It is unfortunate that thousands of patient who come from across the country are left to postgraduates and trainees. I suggest that the special assistant to the prime minister take strict disciplinary action against the sluggish doctors,” he said.

Pims Executive Director Dr Ansar Maxood said doctors would be advised to abide by their timings and complaints would be referred to the ministry.

According to a statement issued by the ministry, Dr Mirza took notice of reports that heads of departments, senior doctors and specialists were not present at their place of duty and were leaving their offices before closing hours.

“Thousands of patients visit Pims on a daily basis and they cannot under any circumstances be deprived of the services of senior doctors and specialists,” he said in the statement.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2020