PESHAWAR: The directors of Burns and Plastic Surgery Centre and Pakistan Institute of Community Ophthalmology at Hayatabad Medical Complex and vice dean of Khyber Girls Medical College have been replaced by Board of Governors before completion of their tenures.

In the 23rd meeting of BoG, held on August 19, 2023, one year extension was given to Prof Amir Mohammad, working as professor of microbiology at Khyber Girls Medical College, as vice dean as his contract was going to expire on November 11, 2023. The board decided to grant him extension till November 11, 2024 in view of the fact that the specialty was not available in the market. It was also decided that before expiry of the contract, a process including floating advertisement would be carried out to ascertain if the specialty was available in the market.

The meeting also granted three-year extension to Prof Sanaullah Jan, the director of Pakistan Institute of Community Ophthalmology (PICO), who was appointed director for three years on October 22, 2020. His contract was expired on October 28, 2023 and it was decided to extend his contract as director of PICO till November 10, 2026.

The board appreciated his performance and stated that he was instrumental in academic and clinical work besides training of staff. It said that under his guidance, PICO was able to ensure coordination with HMC’s administration and Pakistan Association of Ophthalmologist, resulting in better patient care and teaching and training of undergraduate and postgraduate students.

BoG chairman says the positions will be advertised within a week

Similarly, the contract of Prof Tahmeedullah, the director of Burns and Plastic Surgery Unit of HMC, was extended for three years by BoG on November 11, 2023. A notification issued by the secretary of BoG said that in view of his commendable performance, his contract was extended for another term. It said that the decision was taken by BoG exercising powers as per Medical Teaching Institution Reforms Act and he was directed to serve on the same position till November 2026.

Strangely, the board in its 26th meeting held on January 29 this year decided to cancel their extensions and advertise the positions without assigning any reason or letting them to complete their tenures as per the notifications of the earlier board meetings.

On December 15, last year, the caretaker provincial government removed members of BoGs of medical teaching institutions and replaced them with new ones.

The former board of HMC was headed by Sahibzada Mohammad Saeed, a former senior bureaucrat. He was replaced by another former secretary of health Ghulam Qadir Khan, who was appointed for a period of three years.

“We have taken a policy decision that no extension will be granted to anyone. We want to end discrimination and give equal chances of promotion to other people also,” Ghulam Qadir Khan told Dawn.

He said that the vice dean of KGMC retired owing to which he couldn’t continue as per law. The positions of directors of PICO and Burns and Plastic Surgery Centre and vice dean of KGMC will be advertised within a week.

“As a stop gap arrangement, we have given additional charges of both the posts to doctors. In next meeting, scheduled for February 10, we will bring about more changes in HMC as well as in Khyber Institute of Child Health,” said Mr Khan.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2024