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KARACHI, Nov 27: The Sindh cabinet here on Tuesday decided to give special concessions to doctors rendering service in basic and rural health centres so as to ensure improved medical facilities in the rural areas. Doctors posted at these centres would be entitled to non-practising and hard-area allowances.
There are three main cadres of doctors in the health department- general, specialist and teaching cadres. The health department provides healthcare facilities upto BHU level and also manages the training of these doctors for proper administration of service discipline as well as for the betterment of health delivery system.
The cabinet approved the following policy guidelines to remove major irritants and make the system transparent, and for transfers and postings of doctors in Sindh.
B.H.U.s/D.C. Dispensaries:
1. A new male appointee may first be posted only at the BHU preferably at his place of domicile for a minimum period of one year which may be extended if the doctor is interested in staying there.
2. Postgraduate training may only be allowed to those doctors who have served at least two years at BHU/RHC and are not facing any anti-corruption/disciplinary action.
3. Only those doctors who have served at least two years in BHU or RHC may be allowed to appear in entrance examination for the admission of postgraduate training.
4. No fresh postings are to be done in D.C. dispensaries unless the doctor has served for two years in RHC/BHU and the doctors posted there already justification may be worked out and if not justified/required, be transferred.
R.H.Cs:
1. New female appointees may only be first posted at RHC and preferably at their place of domicile for a minimum period of one year which is extendable if the doctor is interested in staying there.
2. Male doctors, after they have served one year at BHU, will also have to serve at least two years at the Rural Health Centre of their place of domicile or as near to it as possible, which is extendable if the incumbent of the office is interested in staying there.
3. Efforts should be made to accommodate wherever possible husbands and wives according to their own choice only in rural areas (one year at BHU and two year at the Rural Health Centre). However, the requirement of service will take precedence over individual’s requirements.
Taluka hospitals/DHQ hospitals:
1. Doctors (male and female) after having served the minimum period of their posting at BHU and the Rural Health Centre as described above, may be posted at Taluka hospital/DHQ hospitals.
2. All those doctors who have completed the prescribed period of training required for higher qualification exams be transferred irrespective of their having passed such examinations in order to make room for the next trainee.
3. Specialist doctors serving in teaching hospital may be posted out at Taluka hospital/ D.H.Q. hospitals/ Civil hospitals after three years at teaching hospitals.
Teaching hospital/medical colleges:
1. General cadre doctors having higher qualifications (major diploma) may be posted at peripheral medical colleges against vacant posts in the teaching cadre till the selectee of the Sindh Public Service Commission or promoted doctor is available.
2. On promotion as professor and associate professor, they may only be posted to peripheral colleges for a minimum period of 2 years.
3. Teaching cadre doctors who possess the required qualification and experience of next higher grade post in their respective subject/specialty as prescribed by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council may be posted against higher grade vacant posts till selectee of the Sindh Public Service Commission or promote/ selectee an equally qualified senior is available whichever is earlier.
4. Derailment may only be allowed in cases where no sanction post is available but the services of doctors are required in the public interest.
An officer once transferred by the competent authority should report at his place of posting within the period provided under rules. The concerned officer in charge shall immediately relieve the officer. The officer in charge under whose administrative control the officer is transferred shall report the joining or otherwise of the transferee. If the doctor does not join his new assignment within stipulated period, action will be taken under the Sindh Civil Servant (E&D) Rules, 1973.
Additional chief secretary Shahzado Shaikh informed that the federal government and the Asian Development Bank had appreciated the performance of the health sector in Sindh.—APP
