ISLAMABAD: After holding a strike and sit-in for 72 days, the employees of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) on Tuesday announced to resume work from Wednesday (today).

The announcement was made after getting assurance from the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) that the hospital will not be made a corporate body and the employees will be able to serve as civil servants at Pims for 10 years.

It has been agreed that the hospital will be made an autonomous body after which it will become possible for its management to increase fees, cost of treatment and start private practice on its premises. It is expected that the quality of patient care and teaching will improve.

The announcement to call off the strike was made by the employees in the presence of Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan at Pims.

In Nov 2020, President Dr Arif Alvi promulgated the Medical Teaching Institution (MTI) Ordinance suggesting that the hospital will be run through a Board of Governors (BoG). According to the ordinance, the BoG will deal with all affairs of Pims once it becomes an MTI. The board members have been appointed and notified by the ministry of NHS on the recommendation of a search and nomination council. They also held a meeting and elected Dr Hamayun Mohmand as the BoG chairman. The BoG has overall superintendence and control over the functions of the hospital.

However, the employees went on a strike and stopped elective surgeries and closed outpatient departments. They held protests within the hospital and in front of Parliament House. During the protests, almost all political parties expressed solidarity with them.

Member National Assembly from Islamabad Ali Awan, who belongs to the PTI, also played a role in getting the issue resolved.

At a meeting held on Monday evening, the ministry shared a revised draft of the ordinance with the employees in which it was mentioned that the hospital will be made an autonomous body rather than a corporate entity. It was decided that SAPM will visit the hospital to brief the employees and the latter will announce to end the protest.

On Tuesday, Dr Sultan reached Pims and informed the employees that their demands had been accepted by the ministry. The revised points of draft shared with the media showed that the employees will remain in Schedule-III of the federal government and will be entitled to all perks, pensions, gratuity, housing, monetisation, health facilities and other privileges. The civil servants shall be entitled to be posted to any MTI post and such eligibility will continue for a period of 10 years. The employees will remain eligible to hold the positions of chairman/heads of departments.

An official of the ministry, requesting not to be quoted, said treatment services will improve after the hospital becomes an autonomous body.

“Unfortunately, senior doctors and professors don’t bother to give time to the hospital and spend most of their time in private medical centres. Now they will have to give proper time to the hospital and the services will improve. Moreover, there will be a check on the admin cadre that will have to fulfill responsibilities,” he said.

Grand Health Alliance (GHA) Chairman Dr Asfandyar Khan told Dawn that the ministry had agreed to amend the ordinance and get it passed as an Act from parliament.

“We are calling off the strike and are thankful to civil society, media and political parties who supported our cause. I am personally thankful to Dr Faisal Sultan, Dr Nausherwan Burki and BoG Chairman Dr Hamayun Mohmand who played their role in resolving our issues,” he said.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2021