A delegation of Young Doctors Association (YDA) headed by Dr Adnan Gondal called on the Advisor to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafiq and Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Secretary Najam Ahmad Shah at the Civil Secretariat. The other members included Dr Maroof Wains, Dr Mehmood-ul-Hassan and Dr Shabbir Chaudhary. Secretary Specialized Healthcare Najam Ahmad Shah appraised the delegation in detail about the proposed new central induction policy for postgraduate doctors in the teaching hospitals.
KEMU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Faisal Masood, Fatima Jinnah Medical University VC Prof Dr Sardar Fakhar Imam, Allama Iqbal Medical College Principal Prof Mehmood Shaukat and the officers of health department were also present on the occasion.
Najam Ahmad Shah said that the main objective of the comprehensive induction policy is to uphold the merit and transparency in the system and to overcome the shortage of specialist doctors in those specialties where doctors are in less numbers. He said that for the first time a comprehensive central induction policy is being introduced in the health sector for postgraduate doctors. He said that doctors would be able to apply online for post graduation and all the process would be purely on merit. This would also end the exploitation of the doctors and by implementing this policy, within a few years, the shortage of specialist doctors in many specialties including anesthesia would be overcome, he added. Shah said that through this policy, hundreds of paid seats would be created in different specialties. Regarding the apprehension of young doctors on the new induction policy, the secretary specialized healthcare said that this policy is not against anyone and all speculations are just a propaganda, rather it would provide further opportunities and a way forward to the doctors for progress in their profession. He said that a culture of serving without pay would also come to an end through this policy.
The members of YDA delegation while commenting on the briefing regarding central induction policy for PG doctors said that briefing provided them opportunity to understand the policy in a better way. Dr Mehmood-ul-Hassan, a member of the delegation, said that they will discuss the important salient features of the policy with their colleagues and will try to convince them on it.