The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA Sindh), along with its sister organisations, Sindh Doctors Welfare Association (SDWA) and People’s Doctors Forum (PDF) has demanded 5000 new jobs for doctors of Sindh in BPS 17 and another 1500 recruitment in specialist cadre.
These jobs should be given through Sindh Public Service Commission, said PMA Sindh President Dr. Samrina Hashmi, SDWA Convener Dr. Mujtaba Memon and General Secretary of PDF, Dr. Razzaq Sheikh, in a joint statement on Sunday.
They demanded that the doctors, who are already working in different projects of health in Sindh, must be given preference in these jobs.
Dr. Samrina Hashmi said since 200 to 300 bedded new hospitals are in final stages to be operational in 18 districts in Sindh, in the period of June to August this year, while 42 trauma centres will also be opened in the province by end of the year, coupled with two state of art hospitals in Dadu and Mirpurkhas, it was high time to ensure recruitment of qualified professionals.
She said in the present era of pre-cast and pre-engineered technology establishment of these important healthcare facilities is not a delusion.
“For all these centres and projects, we will need general physicians, specialists, nurses, paramedics, and technologists,” said PMA Sindh President.
She said that approximately 1500 posts of BPS 17 have been upgraded to BPS 18 in a situation where no new recruitment or appointments have been during last 10 years leading to acute shortage of human resource.
Dr. Hashmi said that according to service rules doctors working in BPS 20 posts should have been promoted to BPS 21, however, instead of giving all posts of BPS 21 to the doctors no less than eight people from DMG group have been appointed in BPS 21 in the provincial health department.
The situation should be rectified, said the PMA – Sindh President.
She appreciated that President Asif Zardari had always taken interest in doctors’ issues, whether it was the promotions or increase in allowances and salary packages.
“We request the President to instruct the Government of Sindh to allay the anxiety of doctors in Sindh, and create 5000 jobs for young doctors, and 1500 jobs for specialists,” she reiterated.
She said the provincial government must also follow and implement service rules besides ensuring that jobs demanded by doctors are necessarily created during its forthcoming budget.