ISLAMABAD: The city managers on Tuesday decided in principle to establish a medical and nursing college at G-7 which will be affiliated with the Capital Hospital at G-6.

CDA Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed along with other officers visited Capital Hospital, also known as CDA Hospital, to inspect ongoing work on the construction of a new block.

The CDA chief inspected the block which is near completion and ordered for the addition of two more blocks.

He also issued directions to set up a medical and nursing college for the CDA Hospital.

Institution will be affiliated with Capital Hospital, official says

When he was told that 20 kanals had already been earmarked in G-7 for the college, the chairman directed for engaging a consultant for the project.

“Since Pims and Polyclinic are already overburdened, we have decided to expand the CDA Hospital to provide healthcare facilities to the CDA employees and the general public as well,” Mr Ahmed told Dawn.

He said that he had also directed for hiring a consultant to prepare PC-2 for the medical and nursing college.

“Soon we will place this project before the CDA’s Development Working Party for approval,” he said.

To a query, the CDA chief said after starting construction work the CDA will contact the health ministry and the Pakistan Medical Commission for allocation of seats for the medical college.

“After completion of the ongoing block in the hospital, we will add 128 beds to the existing facility. We are planning to have 1,000 beds in next two years,” he said. Currently, the CDA Hospital has 292 beds.

An official said the hospital had been facing an acute shortage of doctors and paramedical staff, adding there were 87 sanctioned posts of doctors but 53 of them were vacant. A number of posts of paramedical staff were also lying vacant.

However, an officer of the CDA said all the vacant posts would be filled soon, adding the CDA management had advertised the posts and conducted tests and interviews through a testing agency for filling over 200 posts of doctors, paramedical and supporting staff.

But he said the testing service, allegedly violated terms and conditions of the agreement. The officer said shortlisting of candidates for interviews and fixing of a threshold passing marks were beyond the mandate of the testing agency.

He said the CDA in July this year referred the case to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

“So we are cognizant of the issue of shortage of staff and soon will resolve this issue,” he said and added that the CDA was waiting for the FIA’s report.

“In case the FIA approves the process adopted by the testing agency, we will appoint the already shortlisted candidates otherwise we will go for the fresh appointment and within two months will complete the process,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2021