PESHAWAR: Politicians continue to call the shots in the affairs of Medical Teaching Institutions (MTIs) amid concerns by the architects of the Medical Teaching Institutions Reforms Act, 2015, especially after removal of the medical and hospital directors at the Mardan Medical Complex only two months after they were appointed to the posts.

Dr Mohammad Said and Col retired Gulzar were appointed medical director (MD) and hospital director (HD), respectively, of MMC for five years two months ago. However, they were removed on January 2 by its board of governors for being recruited despite a ban imposed by the health department.

The department had issued a notification on August 16, 2024, stating that except MMC and Bacha Khan Medical Complex, Swabi, all MTIs should stop recruitments and procurements in light of the Peshawar High Court directives issued on August 15.

In its first meeting after the re-instatement of four members, the BoG ordered the removal of HD and MD on the grounds that their appointments were made during the banned period. The other three members of the board had opposed the decision.

Chairman policy board Nausherwan Barki says he is looking into matter

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government replaced BoGs of the MTIs on June 11, 2024, but they had moved the Peshawar High Court, which restored them on August 15, 2024. The court also directed that the reinstated members won’t make any appointments till further hearing of the case.

However, there was no petition filed by members of the MMC BoG.

Their appointment took place on August 24, 2024.

The high court has authorised the chief minister to decide about the fate of four BoG members appointed by the interim government. They would complete their three-year term on August 25, 2025.

Sources said that the four members of the BoG continued to make decisions with support of local PTI lawmakers, who helped the members to cling to their positions. “These members were restored by lawmakers against the wishes of the architects of the MTI law, which was promulgated to free the teaching hospitals and their affiliated medical and dental colleges from political interference.

Chairman MTI-Policy Board Prof Nausherwan Barki, who framed the law, is also concerned about the situation. He told Dawn that he was looking into the matter.

Interference of local politicians in MMC affairs has caused disappointment among the BoG members appointed by the PTI government, a senior BoG member, said.

“An inquiry launched by the anti-corruption establishment last month to probe the allegations of illegal appointments of MD and HD was meant to tarnish the reputation of BoG members and its chairman,” he said.

Senior members working on implementation of the MTI Act said they were waiting for the PTI’s founding chairman Imran Khan’s release from jail to put into the top gear the reform process as politicians continued to influence the recruitments.

“We cannot communicate with Imran Khan directly because we don’t have any meeting with him in jail,” a member of the PTI’s reforms committee, said. According to him, they have been sending messages to PTI’s chairman but never got response because communication was done through third persons.

“Things will get better only when chairman comes out of jail and we are able to communicate with him frequently and directly regarding health reforms,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2025