Health sector has never been on government’s priority list, as the employees of National Aid Control Programme (NACP) are not being paid for the last nine months.
The employees have been given the lollipop that the issue would be ironed out in the next meeting of the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) scheduled for March 9, 2017.
However, sources in the Ministry of Planning Development and Reforms told Pakistan Today that the issue of National Aid Control Programme was not even included in the agenda of the CDWP meeting, so they said what to talk about the resolution of the issue.
They said that Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination sent the PC-1 to the ministry late; hence it could not be included in the agenda.
They expressed apprehension that the issue could be delayed for at least two to three months more because of non-serious attitude of the Ministry of Health as well as Ministry of Planning.
Talking to Pakistan Today, Dr Abdul Baseer Khan Achakzai, National Programme Manager of NACP said that all the employees associated with NACP who were around 19, were not paid salary since June last year.
He said that the issue has been delayed due to the preparation of PC-1, as the Ministry of Planning wanted to consolidate the three programmes i.e. HIV, TB and Malaria to make the programme more affective.
Regarding preparation of PC-1, he said that the NACP has done its job and sent it to the Health Ministry.
To a question, Dr. Baseer said that he had no information whether the issue has been excluded from CDWP meeting.
A senior official in the NACP on condition of the anonymity told this scribe that they have lost all hopes pertaining to redressal of their problems, as the government delayed the approval of PC-1 of the program on lame excuses otherwise the premier could approve it instantly.
Another poor employee wishing to go unnamed said that despite being a government employee, he left with no option but to seek alms, as he is hand to mouth and was left with nothing owing to the government’s indifferent attitude.
The irate employee said that someone just visit the NIH hospital and see the condition of the employees of NACP to expose the government’s tall claims of bringing about revolutionary changes in the health sector.
When this scribe tried to contact Muhammad Ayub Sheikh, Secretary Ministry of National Health Services and Regulation, he could not be reached for comments on the issue, because he was not present at his office.
