LAHORE, July 11: Lt-Gen Khalid Maqbool (retired), the Punjab governor, ordered on Thursday immediate recruitment of 5,000 doctors and 900 nurses for government hospitals in the province.

The direction was made during a meeting held at the Civil Secretariat here to review progress of the provision of diagnostic equipment and improvement of medical facilities in Lahore’s teachings hospitals.

The governor asked the authorities concerned to immediately invite applications through newspapers for the recruitment of doctors and nurses for the province’s district, tehsil and teaching hospitals.

The district level recruitment would be made through the district recruitment committees. The board of governors of the teaching hospitals have been authorized to constitute special committees for the purpose. The committees can start interviewing the candidates after inviting applications within 15 days according to the prescribed procedure.

The governor ordered provision of special funds to make the Services Hospital a model for private practice in a public sector institution. The funds would be utilized for renovation of private wards, construction of a reception, rooms for consultants, and development of a safe parking lot. The hospital would be required to pay the amount to the government out of its income.

The meeting was informed that 50 students would be admitted under the self-finance scheme to the medical college proposed to be attached to the Services Hospital.

The governor said including philanthropists, doctors and administrators in the boards of governors of these hospitals indicated government’s trust in their ability to run welfare organizations.

The government, he said, would ensure provision of the same quality of medical treatment to the poor as the rich. Those who could pay would have the additional facility of private rooms.

The meeting reviewed utilization of funds for the provision of electro-medical equipment to Mayo Hospital.

It was informed that construction of new hostels for female students of King Edward Medical College, a Rs13 million project, had been included in the schedule of new expenditure.

The governor approved Rs2.8 million expenditure for the provision of anaesthesia machines for the hospital’s operation theatres, and the contract for the maintenance of its CT Scan machine.

He ordered an inquiry to fix responsibility for dumping of a neuro-angiography machine in the hospital for 18 years. He also took a serious notice of the repair of its Rs30 million lithotripcy machine at a cost exceeding the price of a new machine.

The meeting approved the constitution of a six-member donations committee for keeping record of donations to the hospital.

It approved Rs20 million expenditure for attaching Lahore General Hospital’s neuro-surgery department with the Fatima Jinnah Medical College, construction of a 20-room private block and the provision of machinery and free medicines.

The meeting decided to establish an institute of neuro-surgical sciences over 50 kanals land in Jauhar Town. A BS-20 provincial government officer has been appointed as liaison officer for the project.

It was informed that some departments of the de’Montmorency College of Dentistry had been shifted to the Government Hospital, Yakki Gate, and a project director appointed for the 48-kanal institute of dental sciences in Jauhar Town. The governor directed that private practice in the evening be started at the college’s Taxali Gate and Yakki Gate campuses from Aug 1.

The meeting was informed that the Government Mian Munshi Hospital had been given status of the district headquarters hospital and 11 specialists, 20 medical officers and five lady doctors appointed there.

The governor ordered that the Rs13.5 million PC-1 for upgradation of the hospital be handed over to the district government’s development committee.

He approved policy guideline for the appointment of the principal executive officers of the autonomous teaching hospitals which would be sent to their boards of governors for implementation.

Interviews for the appointment of the officers would start from July 15. The candidates will get 25 marks for their academic record, 20 each for administrative experience and financial management capability, 25 for teaching experience and 10 for academic distinction. Out of the 25 marks for academic record, five would be reserved for those obtaining first division on the first attempt, 10 for those holding certificates and diplomas approved by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council and College of Physicians and Surgeons membership. Those holding post-graduate degrees and CPS fellowship would get another 10 marks.

The governor directed that entrance tests for the medical and dental colleges be held by the University of Engineering and Technology in September or October to allow admissions by December.