Zubair Qureshi
Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) is all set to make new appointments on senior posts like sections’ heads, senior officers, consultants, etc and for that council is looking for suitable candidates.
In its 201st meeting held Saturday, the PMDC also discussed in detail matters like service structure, health allowances, medical and dental colleges’ data collected by the inspecting teams.
Employees of the PMDC despite it being an off-day had gathered at the council’s premises continuing with their protest against abolition/suspension of health allowance by the council.
The council also reviewed recommendations by the 6-member committee constituted by the councils’ president Dr Tariq Iqbal Bhutta on July 18 over health allowance.
It was also decided the matter might be taken up with other departments and input from Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) would also be sought over the issue.
Sources told Pakistan Observer the senior staff of the PMDC was under a sense of deprivation and was feeling being left out over the council’s decision to make inductions from outside. A number of officers of the PMDC have been working in the council for years and have the required experience and competency to fill in the vacant posts, said they.
In case, the PMDC makes inductions from outside sector these senior qualified staff members could go to the court, they warned.
In the 201st session, honorary degree of one of the members Amir Riaz whose case is subjudice was also taken up and it was decided to allow him professor rank.
The sources told Pakistan Observer the said member had manipulated his own case and forced the council to allow all CPSP sites to be accredited and be given professor ranking. The said member is consultant at LRH Peshawar that is not registered with PMDC as teaching institute.
During meeting of the council, member from Balochistan informed the council that all inspections data collected by the inspecting teams of various medical colleges was being collected at Shifa Hospital Islamabad.
He raised his doubts that the data could be manipulated. To this member from Sindh asked President if it was true. The meeting was told it was true as one coopted member for evaluation committee was from Shifa hospital.
A 6-member committee representing PMDC staff has also been constituted to submit a presentation over the health allowance. The committee comprises Deputy Registrar, Dr Iqbal Khattak, Chief Legal Officer Sara Rubab Nasir, Assist Registrar Dr Sitara Hassan, Assist Registrar Dr Shyed Azhar Ali Shah, Incharge Accounts Shakeel Ahmed and Assist Registrar Imadad Ali submitted its recommendations to the council over the health allowance.
PMDC spokesperson when contacted said PMDC president gave a personal hearing to the employees with regard to suspension of health allowance, and service rules which didn’t provide any slot or structure of promotion & standing of current staff.
The council was appraised that under the PMDC Ordinance 2019 section 43 all the existing staff would remain under the same terms & conditions, said the spokesperson.
The council heard the concerns of all the officers one by one and assured that they appreciate the step of the secretariat for putting their concern before them.
The service rules 2019 shall be circulated to all concerned for their feedback, she further said, adding, however, the council showed concern that these strikes & media calls should be discouraged.
