ISLAMABAD: While citizens are already hit hard by rising inflation and their medical treatment under the health card are being denied, the health ministry has started working on outsourcing diagnostic services at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), rural health centres (RHCs) and basic health units (BHUs).

The move will put an extra financial burden on patients who are currently getting either free of cost diagnostic services or paying nominal fees.

The employees of the hospital have announced to resist the decision saying it was another move for privatisation of the hospital.

However, Secretary Health Iftikhar Ali Shallawani said the ministry was undergoing a paradigm shift under the prime minister and his coordinator Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath through public-private partnerships to bring efficiency and reduce cost for the poor and needy.

Employees say they will resist decision, claim it is another move to privatise hospital

According to documents available with Dawn, Dr Bharath visited Pims on March 29 and directed its management to construct a virtual tower for super specialities in the hospital. He also ordered an evening outpatient department (OPD) and outsourcing of the diagnostic unit of Pims.

The document stated that necessary instructions may be passed to the concerned to take necessary action on direction of the health coordinator.

After getting the written direction, Pims Executive Director Prof Dr Rana Imran Sikander has issued a written directive to submit a detailed plan for outsourcing the diagnostics.

Letters written to the head of Pathology Department Dr Ahmareen Khalid Sheikh and the head of Radiology Department Prof Ayesha Isani, available with Dawn, stated: “You are hereby advised to submit detailed plan for outsourcing of diagnostic services of Pathology Department/Radiology Department of Pims as per the directives of the Honourable Coordinator to Prime Minister within two days positively.”

A senior doctor at Pims, requesting anonymity, said that the diagnostic process involved diagnosing diseases through pathological or radiological tests.

“The facility of health card was introduced by then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 2016 in Islamabad but later PTI took its ownership and introduced it in most of the parts of Pakistan. During the tenure of PDM government the facility of health card was curtailed or denied to a number of patients. Later, the caretaker government totally suspended the facility in Punjab and further curtailed it in Islamabad due to non-availability of funds,” he said.

“Pathology and radiology tests were being provided either free of cost or on nominal charges but now it seems the facility will be discontinued. We are hearing that private labs will be requested to control the lab and radiology department of Pims. The hospital has just got a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine having market price of over Rs250 million but now it may be handed over to some private party,” he said.

He said currently Pims charged Rs100 for complete blood picture test compared to around Rs1000 in the market.

“Even then prime minister Shaukat Aziz in 2005-06 announced a vertical tower at Pims but it could not be constructed till date. The incumbent government cannot go for such projects. It will only discontinue existing facilities to reduce its expenditure,” he said.

However, another doctor, who seems to be in favour of outsourcing the diagnostics, said it will expedite the process of testing and bring credibility to tests conducted at the hospital.

“At the moment, a number of employees don’t want to work or they misbehave with patients. However, after outsourcing the diagnostics, patients will get respect and they may have to pay fewer than the private market,” he said.

Employees announce to resist move

However, Federal Health Alliance (FHA), a representative body of employees, has announced to resist the decision calling it a move to privatise the hospital.

In a statement, FHA stated that in the past Pims was put under a university and then during PTI’s tenure it was declared a Medical Teaching Institution (MTI) suggesting that the hospital should generate its own funds.

FHA Chairman Chaudhry Qamar Gujjar said that after the Eid holiday, a meeting of all representative bodies of the hospital will be called.

“We will resist the move as it will increase problems of patients,” he said.

President Paramedics Association Chaudhry Annas, Raja Rab Nawaz, Naveed Azad, Faisal Tanoli and other employees have urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to intervene and withdraw the decision.

Committee to look after process

When contacted, a senior official of health ministry said that the ministry had constituted a committee tasked with development of a proposal for establishing a 24/7 health emergency management system in Islamabad, utilising the existing RHCs under a public-private model.

He said the senior joint secretary (hospitals) at the health ministry, chief executive officer Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority, executive director Pims, district health officer, chief executive officer Sehat Sahulat Programme and senior medical officer incharge RHC Tarlai were members of the committee.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2024