KARACHI: The health minister at a meeting held on Monday with Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) representatives admitted “high-handedness” on part of Sindh Health Care Commission (SHCC) officials, while promising that the association would be made part of the inspection process, sources told Dawn.

The meeting was held in the backdrop of PMA’s complaints and allegations including those of violence and medical staffers’ harassment by commission officials during inspections of health facilities.

Sources said that Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho assisted by secretary health was positive towards PMA’s complaints and assured the delegation of government’s cooperation.

On the issue of violence at healthcare facilities by patients’ attendants, the minister said the government would seek assistance and advice from the home department as it involved the police department.

The minister, sources said, suggested the PMA to write a letter to the chief justice of Sindh High Court in this respect.

“It’s strange that the minister didn’t talk about the SHCC’s role in this matter. One of the reasons behind the commission’s creation was to address medical negligence and the resultant violence at health facilities, most of which currently have no system to effectively take up complaints by patients’ attendants,” a doctor, who participated in the meeting, told Dawn on the condition of anonymity.

According to him, the minister on behalf of the government refused any responsibility towards People’s Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI) staff, who has been demanding regularization for quite some time.

“She argued that the staff works under a public-private programme and that the government is not directly responsible for job regularization. The minister, however, promised to look into the matter.”

The minister assured that doctors’ promotion would be on merit and according to seniority without delay, including in the specialist cadre.

Both parties agreed that agitation and closure of health facilities were not acceptable and rejected the Pakistan Medical Commission.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2020