All the files related to development work and inquiries, including the new service structure of doctors, are pending for any action owing to the grouping in the administration of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) whereas the ‘current charge’ of Executive Director (ED) Mehmood Jamal is challenged as illegal in the civil and high court.
The situation is tense in the hospital as entire medical and para-medical staff instead of taking caring of the patients is busy in grouping in favour or against the Health Personals Service Structure (HPSS) and BPS, which makes the patients to suffer.
An official in the hospital management told Pakistan Today, while requesting anonymity, that Joint Executive Director Dr Altaf Hussain and Deputy Executive Director Dr Iqbal were suspended for the opposing the ED but both of them took stay order from the court against this act.
“The ED is holding Grade-20, which will be converted into the 16 Scale in the new service structure, but he is using his political influence to convert his scale into 17 and the other officials are opposing this act,” the official said, while lamenting the fact that in the given scenario, the development works were waiting for the attention of ED.
He said many disciplinary inquiries, like the one on mismanagement in the Liver Transplant Centre’, were pending but there was no one to ask the doctors about their mistakes.
It is important to mention that the majority of medic and paramedical staff at PIMS as well as Poly Clinic have rejected the new Health Personnel Scale (HPS), as they prefer old service structure of Basic Pay Scale (BPS). Out of total the 3,100 staff, around 2,700 have rejected the HPSS.
On the other hand, the hospital administration is divided into two groups, with some top officials perceiving the new service structure beneficial for them.
Another official in the administration of PIMS told Pakistan Today on condition of not to be named that Executive Director Mehmood Jamal was in favour of new service structure as it provided provide him an opportunity to legalise his current post, which was illegal as according to the old service structure.
“According to the rules, the ED should have a degree of MBBS, Post Graduate Higher Diploma and Master degree in Public Health or Health Administration or in Hospital Management, but he, working on current charge, only has the MBBS degree and have no other relevant qualification to hold the seat,” he said.
Despite the several attempts, the PIMS ED was not available for his comments.