PESHAWAR: Reinstatement of doctors urged

Published November 22, 2003

PESHAWAR, Nov 21: The Specialist Doctors’ Society on Friday accused Governor Iftikhar Hussain Shah of attempting to sabotage the NWFP government’s plan to reinstate the senior consultants who had resigned in protest against the introduction of institution-based practice at the public sector hospitals.

Speaking at a news conference, the society’s chairman, Dr Said Alam Mahsud, and secretary Dr Obaidullah alleged that the provincial cabinet’s decision concerning the restoration of the services of the senior consultants were being sabotaged under a conspiracy spearheaded by the governor.

They said the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government had constituted an 11-member committee of the provincial assembly that had recommended scrapping of institution-based practice.

The cabinet, subsequently approved a four-point package to do away with the system and restore the services of the doctors who had resigned, they said.

They said it had been assured that the careers of the junior doctors who had been promoted after the resignation of their seniors would not be affected and facilities at the government hospitals would be improved.

They said a bill prepared by the government in consultation with the stakeholders had been submitted  with the assembly secretariat.

They said some vested interests had instigated junior doctors after failing to block the submission of the bill.

They alleged that the governor had asked the chief secretary to sabotage the plan of the reinstatement of the doctors.