- Dr Fayaz Lodhi says summary forwarded to PM for new recruitment
ISLAMABAD: More than 50 percent posts of doctors and technical staffs remained vacant in a hospital, run by the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
Officials told Pakistan Today that total strength of the doctors and technical staff was around 82. However, only 37 posts are filled where doctors and other staff are performing their duties as the remaining posts remained vacant.
The city’s third largest hospital which is providing its free service to CDA’s employees is facing crisis as the government has not lifted ban on new recruitment. Since this government came into power, there is not a single appointment was made in the hospital, they said.
According to officials, around 2000 patients visit daily in the hospital for their medical check-up. But either they were referred in the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) or the Polyclinic, a federal government hospital, which are already overburdened. Last year, CDA allocated Rs 108 million budget for the hospital and 50 percent goes in salaries.
The officials said that few month back interviews were finalised for fresh appointments but the process was halted due to unknown reason. Currently, many departments remained dysfunctional as their head were either retired or resigned. Those who retired recently were Dr Siddique Akbar Satti, who was head of Gastro Department, Dr Imtiaz Ahmed Piracha, associate pulmonologist, Dr Aly Khokhar, orthopedic surgeon, Dr Zulfiqar A Butt, urologist, Dr Khadija Tul Kubra, Medical Officer (MO), Dr Allah Nawaz, pathologist and Medical Officer Dr Haq Daad.
Dr Hafiz Sajad, Associate Medicine and Dr Muhammad Kaleem, Incharge CMO, will be retired in the next few months. On the other hand, cardiac department is almost dysfunctional since 2015 due to unavailability of the technical staff and cardiac consultant. Associate Cardiologist Dr Asif Ali was retired in 2015 and after his retirement all cardiac patients were referred to the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC).
Similarly, blood bank remained dysfunctional which is clear violation of international standard. Tariq Masih, whose daughter Sofia Masih, admited in the emergency ward was forced to arrange blood from outside because blood bank remained non-functional.
A senior official in the hospital said that thousands of patient serving and retired CDA’s employees were entitled to get treatment from this hospital have been most affected due to this crisis. Dozens of patients who were waiting in emergency and OPD seems annoyed after they were either referred to PIMS or they were asked to wait for long hours.
“I’m entitled to this hospital. Due to absence of the Urologist consultant, my surgery is pending since two months,” said Muhammad Arif, who is waiting outside OPD. When contacted, CDA Hospital Executive Director Dr Fayaz Lodhi confirmed that there was server shortage of the doctors and technical staffs due to the ban on new recruitment.
“We have been requesting the government to make fresh recruitment since many months so problem could be finished but ban has not lifted yet,” he claimed. Dr Lodhi said that the last month summary has been forwarded to the prime minister for fresh recruitment. However, “there is no response yet,” he said.
