ISLAMABAD – Health ministry issued show cause notices to Professor Iqbal Saifulah, Dr Tabish Hazir and Dr Tashfeen Adim for their ongoing travels abroad without a leave and at the expense of drug companies.
Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Executive Director Dr Mehmood Jamal took this step against the influential physicians of hospital after obtaining details from the airport immigration authorities, sources within PIMS said.
It was learnt that the Ministry of Health has also deferred the promotion of Dr Tabish, head of medicine at children hospital PIMS, and Dr Tashfeen Adim, head of gastro department PIMS, for grade 20 on the report of ED PIMS for their misconduct.
On the other hand a confidential inquiry team is also inquiring against Professor Tariq of neurology, Dr Tanveer Khaliq of surgery, Dr Nigat Bilal, Dr Abid Farooqi and Dr Shazia Farooqi from the immigration department (airport) on the same charges.
Sources said that ED PIMS was also trying to force the consultants to prescribe the drugs from the hospital formulary which was a huge task because of the influence of drugs companies.
“He is also trying to improve the quality of pathology tests in PIMS. He has got all the support from the ministry of health for these bold steps with which the health care delivery can be improved in PIMS,” a source said.
When contacted by Pakistan Today, Jamal confirmed then news, adding “I have asked the consultants to only prescribe those medicines which are available at hospital formulary to facilitate the patients.”
For example, he said when they had ‘Panadol’ tablet in the hospital there was no need to prescribe ‘Calpol’ which was not available in the hospital but was used for the same purpose.
“It could be either done by some doctors to bother the patients or make money from the drug companies,” he said.
