LAHORE, July 28: The Punjab government has withdrawn the doctors service structure policy on merely fifth day of its announcement that included clauses regarding recruitment of teaching cadre doctors and senior medical officers on regular basis.

The health department has issued a letter to all institutions that the policy conveyed on July 22 has been withdrawn and the contract policy notified on December 29 last will continue.

The policy, reportedly formally approved by the Punjab chief minister, was issued on July 22. It had reflected that doctors would be appointed on contract basis in BPS-17.

It had stated that the specialists and senior registrars in BPS-18 would also be appointed on contract basis. The policy, however, said the teaching cadre doctors would be recruited on regular basis. It said the general cadre senior medical officers would be appointed in BPS-18 on regular basis from amongst those, who would have served the department for five years on contract basis.

Soon after the issuance of the policy, the Pakistan Medical Association, Lahore, had strongly criticized the policy of retaining the contract appointment system. While at the same time, it had also appreciated the clauses that offered regular appointment for teaching cadre doctors and senior medical officers in BPS-18.

Meanwhile, the Lahore PMA has criticized the government for withdrawing the policy and retaining contract appointment system.

General secretary Dr Azeemuddin Zahid, vice-president Dr Tanvir Anwar and other office-bearers said the bureaucracy was leading the government to take wrong decisions.

They demanded that the chief minister should take PMA into confidence to develop workable policies in the health department.

They said the issues in the health department would only be resolved when doctors would be appointed on regular basis. They said the regular appointment of doctors would help reduce joblessness and provide better healthcare facilities to masses.