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LAHORE, April 28: The Punjab government has made three amendments to the Punjab Medical and Health Institutions Ordinance, 2002, concerning boards of governors, principal executive officers and appointment of officers and employees.
The amendments have been made on the basis of recommendations made by the Justice Mujaddid Mirza Commission, which primarily upholds the point of view of doctors and the Pakistan Medical Association.
The revised version of the Ordinance is being called as Punjab Medical Health Institutions Bill, 2003. It is expected to be presented before the cabinet and then the Punjab Assembly.
The bill, when enforced, will lift ban on private practice for one year. During the period, the government and the board of management (BoM) of autonomous institutions will be required to establish and augment the infrastructure to facilitate private practice.
The government has, however, not touched the other 14 sections of the ordinance which deal with the powers of BoMs, executive committee, delegation of powers, establishment of fund and its management, audit of the institution, regulations to be framed by the BoMs, performance evaluation of the staff, disciplinary rules, budgetary powers and appointment of staff from BS-1 to -16.
BoGs: The eight-member board of governors has been replaced with 11-member BoM on the plea that the Mujaddid Commission had observed that the public acceptability for the name of BoG was almost non-existent. The tenure of the board has been curtailed from five years to four.
The BoMs will comprise principal of the institution, chairman of the academic council, provincial health and finance secretaries or their representatives not below the rank of additional secretary, six non-official members — one each from amongst eminent retired professor, doctor from the general cadre, management experts/retired civil and military officers, distinguished citizens, notable jurists and financial experts. The medical superintendent of the main teaching hospital will act as secretary to the BoM. He will be a non-voting member.
The bill has created a distinction between the principal and the chairman of academic council. The principal will be the ‘best of the best’ and academic council chairman will be the senior most professor in that institution and replace the existing deputy dean.
The selection of non-official members will be made from a panel of three people for each vacancy. The panel will be prepared by the health department. The non-official members will not be entitled to any perks and privileges.
The bill provides that the chief minister will constitute an administration committee to perform functions of the board till such time that a regular board become functional.
PEOs: The bill has abolished the highly paid post of the principal executive officer and re-introduced the post of principal on the recommendation of the Mujaddid Mirza Commission. He will be paid according to the government pay scales.
The principal will be selected by the government from a panel of three candidates, recommended by the BoM. Similarly, the medical superintendent will also be selected from a panel of three individuals recommended by the board. The MS will be given double non-practising allowance (NPA).
APPOINTMENTS: The bill has proposed the creation of a Special Selection Board (SSB) in every autonomous health institution to recommend people for appointment.
The board, to be chaired by the principal, will consist of a professor of the speciality concerned, retired professor of the speciality concerned, a general doctor from private sector, a representative of the health department and a member of the Punjab Public Service Commission.
The BoM will be empowered to temporarily fill an existing vacancy on ad hoc basis for six months or till the arrival of the new incumbent recommended by the board, whichever is earlier.
As the 2002 ordinance was silent about the status of those appointed by the BoG, the new bill provides that the new appointees will become public servants. The existing employees will also be governed by the Civil Servants Act, 1974.
IPP: The bill will lift ban for one year imposed on the private practice.
As laid down in the bill, the Punjab government and the BoM will be required to give the infrastructure for private practice. As soon as the infrastructure will be established and certified by the respective BoMs, the Institutional Private Practice (IPP) will commence forthwith.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: The bill also requires the constitution of a six-member executive committee in each autonomous health institution to run day-to-day affairs.
The committee, to be headed by principal, will have medical superintendent, director finance, a BoM member, a junior doctor and a nurse as its members. The junior doctor and the nurse will be nominated by the Punjab government.
ACADEMIC COUNCIL: The college’s academic council, to be headed by the senior most professor, will have all professors and heads of the departments as its members.
The council will be the supreme body to take decisions on matters regarding curriculum, professional (medical, clinical, financial and managerial) audit, evaluation of research papers, affiliation, disciplinary matters relating to students.
Every council will also be required to constitute a 12-member executive committee comprising senior professors to work for the implementation of the decisions taken by it.
