ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee on Wednesday recommended the suspension of the executive and deputy directors of the National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (NIRM) for two weeks and asked the legislative branch of parliament if the committee chair was empowered to appoint a head or induct a representative in an inquiry committee.

The recommendation was made after input from a 10-member National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Servicesvisited the NIRM in response to complaints about the behaviour of the administration.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on NHS Dr Faisal Sultan, who also attended the standing committee meeting, said an inquiry would be held into the complaints by NIRM employees and a report will be submitted in two weeks.

On Oct 5, staff from the NIRM went on strike against the administration’s behaviour. They said staff were being asked for explanations on small matters, were being issued unjustified notices – such as because a staffer was missing from his or her seat – and were issued explanation letters without realising that the doctor could be on rounds or in an operation theatre.

At the time, Parliamentary Secretary on NHS Dr Nausheen Hamid had assured the staff she would visit to the hospital to address their concerns, after which the strike was called off.

The issue was discussed by the committee on Monday and members also visited the hospital, submitting a report afterwards that the complaints of the staff were genuine.

Committee chair MNA Khalid Hussain Magsi told Dawn that it was decided at the last committee meeting to send a team of parliamentarians to the NIRM on the recommendation of MNA Dr Mohammad Afzal Khan Dhandla.

“The team visited the hospital, but unfortunately the administration of the hospital behaved as if they were trespassing on their affairs,” Mr Magsi said.

He added that during the visit, NIRM Executive Director Dr Shaista Habibullah in a meeting with the parliamentarians, likened the institute’s staff to domestic employees, asking the team how they would react if their domestic employees did not listen to them.

“This means the ED has been treating the staff of the hospital like housemaids,” he said.

“After detailed deliberations, we recommended the the Ministry of National Health Services that Dr Habibullah and Deputy Director Services Dr Mazhar Hussain should be suspended for two weeks and during that time an inquiry should be conducted. Dr Sultan agreed with the committee and assured that the inquiry would be conducted in two weeks,” he said.

Mr Magsi said he has directed the committee secretary to ask the legislative branch if the committee has appoint the head of the inquiry committee or depute a member in the committee.

“The NIRM is a very important institution and a large number of people with disabilities are treated there. We will play our role to address the issues of the hospital,” he said.

NIRM Young Doctors Association President Dr Yousuf Ali Khan said the recent issue was triggered when the institute’s management stopped orthopaedic surgeon Dr Farid Zimri from conducting surgeries, seeking an explanation for why he was not in his seat during duty hours.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2020