LAHORE, July 26: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has approved recruitment of doctors on a permanent basis instead of contractual appointments and transfer of administrative and financial powers from bureaucracy to autonomous hospitals.

Presiding over a high-level meeting which reviewed administrative and financial affairs of the autonomous hospitals here on Saturday, the chief minister observed that there was sense of insecurity among doctors and paramedical staff due to contractual appointments. Foreign qualified doctors were also not coming to Pakistan hindering the transfer of modern research and medical technology to the country. Recruitment of doctors on contract basis had not only affected the efficiency but also the overall performance of the hospitals.

He made it clear that regularisation of services of doctors as well as their promotion would be linked to their performance. A transparent procedure would be evolved to ensure the recruitment of only competent doctors. The role of the bureaucracy would be minimised and hospitals would be made autonomous in the real sense. All financial and administrative powers presently exercised by the bureaucracy would be transferred to the hospitals for ensuring better healthcare facilities to patients without discrimination. A foolproof strategy had also been evolved to evaluate the performance of autonomous hospitals through financial, performance and technical audit.

He said the government would provide all possible resources to hospitals for provision of healthcare facilities. An additional grant of Rs2.5 billion had been provided to the hospitals for installation of air-conditioners in wards. Issues relating to distribution of administrative and financial powers between the principals and medical superintendents of autonomous hospitals had also been settled.

FLOUR: Shahbaz Sharif has issued instructions to the administration that no compromise be made on the quality and prices of flour and joint teams of magistrates and police officers should take stern action against elements involved in overcharging and the sale of sub-stranded flour.