ISLAMABAD: The employees of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) on Saturday appealed to Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani to play his role in the rejection of Medical Teaching Institution (MTI) bill which suggests the hospital should be run through a board of governors (BoG).

The employees said they were also contacting senators from both the ruling and opposition parties to lobby for the rejection of the bill.

On June 28, the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services (NHS) rejected the bill. As the bill was promulgated through a presidential ordinance it could only be extended once for 120 days. However, the second term of the bill is going to lapse on July 13.

Grand Health Alliance (GHA) Chairman Dr Asfandyar Khan told Dawn that though the standing committee had rejected the bill, in the upcoming week the government was going to table it in the upper house for voting.

“The government wants to bulldoze the recommendation of the standing committee. So we appeal to the Senate chairman to play his role in the rejection of the bill. Moreover, we have been contacting a number of senators to reject the bill,” he said.

Replying to a question, Dr Khan said the bill was against the employees as it will abolish their status of civil servants. Moreover, patients will also have to pay for treatment in the hospital, he added.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2021