The NWFP Minister for Health Inayatullah said that the provincial government had placed requisition for the recruitment of 1,000 doctors with the Public Service Commission, adding efforts were continue to resolve problems confronting doctors' community.
Speaking in a meeting of the representatives of Trainee Medical Officers (TMOs), House Officers and Medical Superintendents of three teaching hospitals of the provincial capital, he said that the provincial government had taken unprecedented steps for the welfare of the doctors community besides solving their problems and providing them with speedy promotion opportunities.
He said that a case would be submitted to the Finance Department for the creation of 200 floating posts to accommodate the Trainee Medical Officers. Similarly he said that a bill had also been submitted to the Law Department for the regularisation of the contract doctors working since 1995. "The previous Governments have committed criminal negligence in not placing the requisition of these doctors to Public Service Commission while the present government was trying to accommodate them through legislation", he asserted.
Moreover, he said that apart from provision of special incentives to the female doctors working in remote areas, district specialists were also benefited seniority for the post of senior registrar. "Under the Four-tier formula 20 posts of grade-20 and 100 of grade-19 were also created" he maintained. He said that increase in the stipends of TMOs and HOs was an issue which needed permanent solution.
Referring to the accommodation problem, the minister said that PGMI hostel had already been completed while a hostel at LRH was being included as a non-ADP scheme. He informed that Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) was also allowed to hire accommodation for hundred TMOs.
The minister advised the doctors to take care of their noble profession and press for their demands through proper and dignified way. He recalled that a case had been sent to the Finance Department for increment in the TMOs and HOs stipends already. Similarly, a case had also been taken up with the Finance Department for the provision of non-practice allowance (NPA) equal to Punjab.
Moreover, 26-rooms hostel would be completed by the end of August at Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC). Similarly a security plan was also being chalked out for the three teaching hospitals of Peshawar. Likewise a case for the promotion of 220 doctors to grade-18 has been sent to Provincial Selection Board while 146 posts will be upgraded from Grade-18 to 19 shortly.