Suggestions regarding service structure called from 36 districts of Punjab was given its final version in the general body and provincial council meeting of the Punjab General Cadre Doctors’ Association and was unanimously approved.
It was decided that the service structure of general cadre doctors would be defended at all levels. GCDA also demanded that the service structure of general cadre doctors should be given due respect and its approval should be announced separately. They said that service structure was serious business and notifications in this regard should be issued separately. “We are open to negotiations,” representatives said.
The meeting was attended by Dr Rana Rafique, Dr Arif Iftikhar, Dr Malik Riaz,Dr Muhammad Arif, Dr Amir Nazeer, Dr Asad Abbas Shah, Dr Khawja Mehboob, Dr Aslam Hameed, Dr Abdul Rauf, Dr Ammer Chohan and others.
Addressing the meeting GCDA President Dr Masood Sheikh said that the promotion of general cadre doctors should be implemented starting from the serving general cadre doctors and those waiting for promotions for a long time in grade 19 ,18 and 17 should be given priority. He said that the implementation of a time scale formula, if any, should be retrospective, so that those who had been serving for the last 17 years are promoted to grade 20, while those with a collective service of 12 years in grade 19 and 5 years in grade 17 should be promoted accordingly. And if the relaxation of the rules can be made in case of cadre change from general cadre to teaching cadre and specialist then the rules can be relaxed for the implementation of a promotion formula for general cadre as well.
Those general cadre doctors who were serving in grade 18 but had already crossed the criteria of grade 20 should first promoted to grade 19 and then after a short stay of in grade 19 then be promoted to grade 20. Dr Masood demanded that the education formula, though a positive move from government, can not solve the issue of promotion unless the formula is dilated more so that all 14000 doctors may benefit from this change, so GCDA demanded that the ratio of 39:30:25:5.8 should be considered and 0.2 percent seat may be sanctioned for grade 21. This move from 19 to 20 and then from 20 to 21 may be linked with some special courses.
Dr Masood added that the simple formula change may not be enough; it must be compensated with reaffixing the seat of grade 18 to 20 as per actual strength of doctors starting in August 2012. They argued that the population of Punjab is rapidly growing and the number of seats of general cadre doctors should be linked with population growth, so it can increase yearly.
He added that the room for promotion of general cadre doctors to teaching cadre and specialist cadre should be kept open and a one time dispension may be changed with a continuous move from general cadre to the other cadre through a continuous process. Around 50 % seats for specialists should always be kept for those general cadre doctors who had qualified diplomas, and 30-40 % seats of teaching cadres should be for those general cadre doctors who had qualified fellowships in different disciplines during their service.
Dr Sheikh added that even those who had not been moved to the level of specialist or teaching cadre should be named as specialist officers or administrative officers. Up to two increments for those with diplomas and 4 increments for those having a fellowship may be awarded. Addressing the general body and provincial council meeting, Member of Provincial Assembly Dr Zamurd Yasmeen Rana said that the chief minister had keen interest in the doctors’ issue and wanted to bring a positive solution for their issue.
She added that she had sympathies with general cadre doctors and will do her best to help finalise their service structure. She added that she will bring all these demands to the knowledge of the chief minister and all others concerned, for their positive consideration.
