MULTAN, July 8: The board of governors of the Nishtar Hospital and Medical College has approved creation of 21 new posts of paid house jobs for the institute’s dental section.

It was a long-standing demand of BDS graduates of the Nishtar Medical College. Dental section of the college was established in 1974, but there were only four paid house job posts available for BDS graduates.

On an average, some 45 students pass BDS final examination every year from the Nishtar Medical College and the availability of paid house jobs at the Nishtar Hospital was next to nothing. Efforts on the part of BDS graduates had always afoot to get more paid house job vacancies, but it was the Dental House Surgeons Association which took the task as a challenge.

The association was formed in January this year with Dr. Raja Aftab as its chairman and Dr Imran Bucha its organizing secretary. The association observed strikes, organized token hunger strike camps and walks to highlight the injustice being meted out to them as compared to their counterparts at the de ‘Montmorency College of Dentistry in Lahore. The Punjab Dental Hospital offers almost hundred per cent paid house jobs to the graduates of the de ‘Montmorency College.

Talking to Dawn, Dr. Aftab said principal executive officer Prof. Dr Ashiq Pervez had assured them that the issue of dental house officers would be taken up in the first meeting of the BOG. In the July 4 meeting, the matter was discussed and the number of paid house job posts was increased by sanctioning 21 more seats bringing up the tally to 25.

Dr. Aftab said at present 28 house officers were working at the dental section of the Nishtar Hospital.

The association celebrated the occasion by distributing sweets at the outdoor of the dental section.