PESHAWAR, Nov 12: The provincial government has decided in principle to restore the monthly stipend for private trainee medical officers (TMOs), sources said.

The decision was taken at a meeting held here recently between the health minister and the dean of Postgraduate Medical Institute (PMGI), said the sources.

The stipend for private TMOs was abolished through a notification issued by Chief Secretary Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi on September 21.

Soon after the notification, the PGMI called upon the provincial government to restore the stipend and save the institute from being disaccredited by the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP).

"The decision to abolish stipend for private TMOs will lead to de-recognition (of the PGMI) by the CPSP as its rules do not provide for FCPS-II training for those not being paid mandatory stipend equivalent to the minimum salary of a scale-17 medical officer," said a letter written to the secretary health by PGMI dean Prof Arshad Javaid a month back.

He wrote that Karachi’s Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre had been disaccredited by the CPSP for non-payment of stipend to TMOs, and the PGMI might also meet the similar fate if the decision to abolish the stipend was not reviewed.

“The decision is discriminatory as other provinces of the country not only pay stipend to all private TMOs but have recently increased the amount to Rs16,000,” he stated.

The dean had requested the government to review its decision in order to secure the future of specialised medical education in the province and avoid virtual collapse of the postgraduate medical education system.

Private TMOs, who are also referred to as non-government doctors, were initially inducted as honorary trainees without any remuneration. However, in 1999, the CPSP framed new rules under which stipend for private TMOs was made compulsory. As many as 35 more seats were created for private TMOs which were increased to 120 in 2000. And in the year 2003, the government increased the private TMO seats to 250.

“Having been convinced that the decision would have a negative effect on medical education in the province, the chief secretary had asked the health department to send him a summary in this regard,” said the sources.