The government will not hesitate to outsource the Basic Health Units (BHUs) to ensure provision of health facilities at the doorsteps of the people, said Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique while addressing a consultative meeting arranged by Policy and Strategy Planning Unit (PSPU) of the Health Department at a local hotel for considering age relaxation proposal for contractual appointment of medical teachers and officers for BHUs.
Secretary Health Jawad Rafique Malik, Director General (DG) Health Dr Zahid Pervaiz, PSPU Project Director Ali Bahadur Qazi, retired and in-service principals, professors of medical colleges, members of Chief Minister Health Roadmap Team, EDOs health of different districts, medical superintendents of government hospitals, representatives of PRSP, PMA and health experts attended the meeting.
The participants of the meeting expressed their views and gave different proposals on the issue. An analysis of the recommendations and views of the participants was presented by the organisers according to which 59 percent gave their consent to age relaxation up to 65 years to the doctors while 12 percent recommended relaxation of age up to 70 years whereas 14 percent opposed the proposal.
Secretary Health Jawad Rafique Malik said that we have to find a solution to the problem at any cost.
“If retired professors and doctors can run the medical colleges/ hospitals of private sector why shouldn’t the government benefit from their services even after retirement,” he observed.
The secretary health said that the government is producing a doctor in only Rs 18 thousand per annum even than our BHUs are not fully occupied by the medical officers.
He said that after vigorous efforts 66 percent vacancies of medical officers at BHUs have been filled.
“The government has to explore alternative solution if young doctors would not go to the BHUs and relaxation in age for contract appointment of a doctor is one of the options,” he added.
Similarly, same policy would be adopted at medical colleges to overcome the shortage of medical teachers.
Malik said that it will be a need base policy. He said that the government would also resolve the issues of infrastructure of health centres, doctors’ security, etc.
He said that survey of deserted BHUs would be conducted through EDOs health and such non-functional health centres would be shifted in a building in the populous area to provide treatment facilities to the people.
“The government is also considering a proposal to get a bond signed from newly graduate doctors for mandatory service of 2 years in periphery,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Rafique said that short term, midterm and long term policies are being evolved to overcome the shortage of medical teachers and doctors.
“Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has given special package of Rs1.5 billion for specialist doctors at DHQ and THQ hospitals and the specialist doctors have started to join these hospitals,” he said.
He said that different packages and steps are being considered to functional the BHUs, however, immediate solution to cope with the shortage of medical teachers and doctors is to give age relaxation for their contract appointment for specific period.
He said that rules are prepared for the welfare of people which can be amended or changed according to the requirement of the hour.
I think government should have to take responsibility for these things.
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