TOBA TEK SINGH, June 28: The committee formed by the district Nazim to probe into the affairs of the Gojra Eye-cum-General Hospital has recommended appointment of a qualified medical superintendent and immediate transfer of nine employees of the hospital.

The four-member committee was constituted on the demand of the district council members following a conflict between the hospital staff and the medical superintendent.

Executive district officers health and works, district health officer and district health development centre programme director constitute the committee.

Sources told Dawn on Friday that the committee said in its report submitted to the district Nazim that the Eye-cum-General Hospital is a special institution. It had been a centre of excellence for the treatment of eye diseases since the pre-partition days. The bed strength of the hospital was also more than the DHQ hospital.

The report recommended that a doctor with post graduation in public health management should be appointed as the medical superintendent of the hospital to run its affairs smoothly. It said that the March incident was the result of poor administration on the part of the present MS.

The committee also recommended immediate transfer of medical officer Dr Khalidur Rahman, head nurse Abdul Ghafoor, senior clerk Muhammad Munir, dispenser Muhammad Farooq, charge nurse Uzma Nazish, charge nurse Rizwana Tabassum, sweeper Gulzar Masih and drivers Muhammad Saleem and Muhammad Amin.

“The allegation levelled by nurse Uzma Nazish against market committee vice-chairman Ejaz Husain that he desecrated Bible is baseless.

“Ejaz Husain was nominated by the district Nazim to inspect the hospitals. When he visited the Gojra hospital on March 20 at midnight, Uzma had no Bible with her. There was an Urdu book titled Khwateen Bible which too was not disgraced.”

The committee recommended that Dr Khalidur Rahman and nurse Uzma Nazish should be proceeded against under the Removal from Service Ordinance as both were responsible for the death of a patient on March 19. The doctor and the nurse did not attend Abdul Ghafoor for five hours, as a result he died.

The para-medical staff of the Gojra Eye-cum-General Hospital and the Gojra Tehsil Council sanitary staff had observed a week-long strike in March to protest over the alleged desecration of Bible. Protest processions were also taken out by Christians.