ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) has directed the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) executive director to look into complaints regarding the absence of a head of department.

Pims Executive Director Dr Ansar Maxood has been empowered to take disciplinary action against the doctor, who has been accused of being absent from duty.

In general, there have been complaints that senior Pims doctors rarely visit the hospital and leave all the matters related to their department to their juniors.

There have been specific complaints that professor of dermatology Dr Ikramullah Khan remains absent from duty.

The ministry’s letter states that the competent authority - the NHS secretary - has authorised Dr Maxood to initiate disciplinary action against Dr Khan on account of his lack of punctuality and frequent absence from his place of duty under the Government Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules 1973.

A hospital doctor said there are many other senior doctors who do not bother to visit Pims but receive salaries.

“Action should be taken against all the senior doctors who fail to fulfil their duties,” he said.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2020