The terminated ad-hoc doctors of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa demanded of the provincial government to restore their services, and warned that if their demands weren’t accepted, they would be compelled to start an agitation campaign against the decision.
Addressing at a press conference on Tuesday, Ad-hoc Doctors Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Dr Farhanullah Shah voiced concerns over the termination of services without issuance of any prior notice by the provincial government. He said they had been appointed in Sept last year on an ad-hoc basis for one year, but termination orders were issued by the provincial government before the expiry of their services period.
The association president informed that a total 321 ad-hoc doctors, including 36 females, were regularly performing their duties at major teaching hospitals and periphery health units across the province. He said the ad-hoc doctors were selected through qualifying in the National Testing Services (NTS) exams, followed by passing the departmental interview on merit basis.
Flanked by the association office bearers from various districts, including Dr Sajid Hussain from Peshawar, Dr Wahid Khan of Swabi, Dr Abdul Rehman from Charsadda, and Dr Kamran of district Mardan, the association president said the termination before expiry of four months of their service contract was unjust. He said the decision would compel them to go on a hunger-strike, it must be reviewed and restore their services immediately, he demanded.
Dr Farhan informed that provincial government had decided to windup the Provincial Public Health Initiative (PPHI), due to which as many as 574 positions would be vacated in the health sector.
When asked about the main reason behind their termination, Dr Farhan said the government had taken a stance over their dismissal of services due to the arrival of doctors by qualifying through the examination of Provincial Public Service Commission (PPSC). “A number of vacancies are still lying vacant in the provincial health department, as per the statement of Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said.
The government, he said, had also terminated the ad-hoc doctors and it would trigger a deficiency of doctors in the province.
He urged the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Provincial Health Minister, and other high officials concerned to review the decision of termination of their services in the best interest of health sector.
