HYDERABAD, July 27 Sindh government has made the 'lucrative' post of medical superintendent of the Civil Hospital Hyderabad (CHH) a game of musical chair.

The game is on for two yours and as it happens in the game four medical superintendents succeeding each other over the period have sit on the chair only to be replaced by their successor a few months later.

At present, Mr Ghulam Mustafa Abbasi has 'assumed' charge of the office of MS on his own without waiting for MS Dr. Nawaz Abbasi to formally relinquish the charge.

Dr. Mustafa assumed the charge on July 22 in the absence Dr. Nawaz who had been in Matli town at that time attending hearing of a medico legal case.

Secretary of Health Hashim Raza Zaidi insists as per provincial Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD) Dr. Mustafa holds the charge.

In April 2008 Dr. Waseem Shaikh was replaced by Dr. Manzoor Memon who was later replaced by Dr. Abdul Jabbar Sheikh. Sheikh was suspended on charges of irregularities soon afterwards and Mr. Ghulam Mustafa Abbasi was allowed to run the show as acting MS for a few months. He was succeeded by Dr. Nawaz Abbasi last year.

Nawaz has now been transferred although he had not got any notification so far informing him about the change and his colleague Dr. Mustafa found it convenient to assume the charge.

The successive and frequent transfers have played havoc with state of affairs at the largest public sector hospital of the district, which cater to needs of interior Sindh, and added to problems.

Hospital staff, doctors and paramedics have formed lobbies to look after their interests and they do not allow doctors considered rival by them to establish their writ in the hospital once known for its quality health facilities.

The post of the hospital's MS is supposed to be highly lucrative coveted by almost every BPS-19 and BPS-20 doctor because it brings with it monetary gains running into millions of rupees.

Patients from almost every district of upper or lower region of the province turn to this tertiary hospital in hope of getting better care under supervision of highly experienced professors of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences.

The state of affairs aggravated by frequent transfers has proved a major impediment to a healthy and close relationship between LUMHS professors who work as consultants and sit in outpatient department (OPD).

Recently, an anaesthetist and an assistant professor were blamed for the death of a patient in neurosurgery ward.

Dr. Nawaz claimed that he was working on projects like breast cancer project, thalassaemia centre, central laboratory (widening and improvement of existing hospital's pathology laboratory).

Dr. Mustafa, who claims he is backed by Makhdooms of Hala, said that he had been posted as MS and he had to assume the charge in absence of his predecessor. “I was first made DG of health services on July 9 but then the order was held in abeyance,” he said.

He said that things would be sorted out in a day or two and disagreed with the report that his own order about posting had been held in abeyance.