ISLAMABAD: In a surprise move, federal government on Monday appointed members of the Board of Governors (BoG) to run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) once it becomes a medical teaching institution (MTI).
However, employees of the institute have rejected the notification and decided to protest in front of the National Press Club (NPC) from Tuesday (today).
President Dr Arif Alvi promulgated the MTI Ordinance last month.
According to the notification, issued by the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS), four members of the BoG have been appointed with immediate effect including Mirza Qamar Baig, Syed Bakhtiyar Kazmi, Dr Hamayun Mohmand and Naveed Khalid Butt.
Protesting employees alleged that in a bid to convert Pims into a private hospital, patients will have to pay for treatment and staff members will lose the status of a permanent job.
Grand Health Alliance (GHA) Chairman Dr Asfandyar Khan said that employees had categorically rejected the BoG members. “I have never heard about three members of the BoG apart from the fourth member Dr Hamayun Mohmand.
While referring to the incident of death of eight patients in Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar for want of oxygen, Dr Khan blamed the incident on hospital being run on adhoc basis after converted into an MTI.
“Dr Faisal Sultan is Chairman of BoG of KTH and at the same time he is Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health. Moreover Dr Sultan is also running the Shaukat Khanum Hospital. The staff at Pims has been fighting a war against Covid-19 but unfortunately they have been losing concentration due to policies of the government,” he said.
According to the ordinance, BoG will deal with all affairs of Pims once it becomes an MTI. Members shall be appointed and notified by the health ministry on the recommendation of a search and nomination council; if appointed, they will hold office for a period of three years and will be eligible for re-appointment.
Autonomy would be given to the hospital and the BoG shall have overall superintendence and control over functions of the hospital. The BoG shall be responsible for appointing deans, the hospital director, medical director, nursing director and finance director of the hospital.
All employees, whether opted for or directly appointed prior to the act or pursuant to the act, shall at all times be governed exclusively according to the terms and conditions of the board; employees aside from the dean, hospital director, medical director, nursing director and finance director will have the right to appeal to the board against any penalty, censure or termination unless it is by the order of the board itself.
In case, an employee is aggrieved by a decision made by the board, they can seek resolution of the matter by referring the grievance or dispute to the board of arbitration, which will be established soon by the health ministry. This board shall consist of a minimum of six arbitrators nominated by the ministry.
Employees who opt for private practice within the premises of the hospital, may be entitled to an increase in salary, adjustment, bonuses or other ancillary benefits.
Private patient billing shall consist of the professional fee component and institutional charges including clinic, imaging facility, laboratory services or other institutional charges.
A share from the institutional charges shall be distributed between the employees based on performance and productivity, according to a format which will be prescribed by regulations.
Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2020