PESHAWAR: Despite repeated directives by health department, barring Boards of Governors from taking major decisions at medical teaching institutions, Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad has made appointments, promotions and re-designation of positions, according to documents.

BoG chairman of the hospital Mushtaq Jadoon, however, said that those decisions had been approved by previous board before imposition of ban by the department. “We just vetted the same. These are not major policy decisions at all. There is nothing illegal,” he added.

On March 8, health department imposed a ban on major decisions by BoGs of teaching hospitals including recruitments, appointments, terminations, promotions, procurements and awarding fresh tenders. However, Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH), Abbottabad, has violated the directives, according to documents.

Documents show that major decisions were taken in the 96th meeting of BoG of ATH held on April 3 in violation of the ban imposed by the government. Three BoG members stayed away while the chairman attended the meeting online. The minutes published on April 8 revealed that major policy decisions were taken to benefit specific employees.

BoG chairman Mushtaq Jadoon denies any wrongdoing at the hospital

As per decisions, Dr Ather Lodhi, who is also hospital director (HD), was designated as coordination officer in BPS-21 despite deference of the same from agenda items thrice in previous BoG meetings. Dr Lodhi, previously serving as chief medical officer in BPS-20, was not only promoted to BPS-21 but also his position was re-designated as coordination officer in BPS-21, a designation that did not exist under the law.

An officer serving as a patient record manager (BS-17) was not only upgraded to BPS-18 but also re-designated as manager human resource, say documents.

The BoG upgraded the position of manager radiology to BPS-18, as the actual sanctioned position of officer was patient record manager in BPP-17 and no such position existed. It had been rejected thrice in the past.

An employee of health department in BPS-20 was granted a No Objection Certificate (NoC) for transfer to ATH despite non-availability of position. The BoG’s subcommittee deliberated that the performance of a security officer was not up to mark but he was promoted to BPS-18.

Despite a ban on recruitment and creation of new posts, the BOG approved hiring of 10 fixed-pay Class-IV employees that falls under major decision-making. It approved the promotion of two pharmacists to the posts of senior pharmacist in BPS-18 and from BPS-18 senior pharmacist to chief pharmacist in BPS-19. The latter had faced disciplinary proceedings and served more than half of his time as officer on special duty.

The board also granted go-ahead to creation and formal notification of management cadre doctors, which falls under major policy decisions.

Honorarium of Rs5,000 was granted to 852 Class-IV staffers causing financial burden to the hospital of Rs4,260,000. An allowance of Rs150,000 was approved for hospital director (HD). He was reappointed for three months or until the arrival of a permanent HD while salary of medical director was raised by Rs50,000 per month along with previous areas from September 2022.

Documents show that a telephone exchange supervisor was promoted from BPS-11 to BPS-14. HD procured medicines worth Rs400 million in violation of ban.

However, chairman of BoG Mr Jadoon denied any wrongdoing at the hospital.

Sources in health department said that BoGs of 10 medical teaching institutions were directed to refrain from taking major policy decisions till the appointments of new BoGs.

The caretaker government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had replaced the BoGs appointed by the previous PTI government. They are likely to be terminated soon. “Some BoGs of MTIs are taking major decisions, much to the embarrassment of the government, which wants to appoint its own boards,” sources said.

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2024