Doctors serving on ad hoc basis in different teaching hospitals and periphery units in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and FATA are demanding of the government to regularise their services forthwith. Addressing at a press conference here at Peshawar Press Club, the President of ad hoc Doctors' Action Committee Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and FATA Dr Salman said that government appointed more than 450 doctors on ad hoc basis in different parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and FATA, which was then a commendable step.
However, he said, the health department always failed to fill actual strength of medical staffs in far-flung districts despite availability of infrastructure to deliver medical services through qualified doctors. After the appointment of doctors on ad hoc basis, he added the deficiency used to be addressed at different medical facilities of remote areas of the province, particularly in Federally Administrative Tribal Areas. The health facilities have been strengthening after provision of required staff in district Chitral, Tank, and Marwat and adjacent areas, he added.
Accompanied by Dr Zarain with other colleagues, he said that more than 2,000 doctors' posts are still vacant while the increasing requirement of medical staffs at different teaching hospital and other medical periphery units can't bear to decrease the existing strength. If government, he said that would take such step, then the qualified doctors and poor people would be directly affected.
Dr Salman also expressed concern over the appointment of doctors through public service commission exam, saying that they are worried about their future after the induction of a large number of medical staffs through commission. He informed that the ad hoc doctors have extended their services in all the remote areas, despite conditions apply in their services are not to take part in academic activities, trainings and ban on their transfers.
Therefore, he demanded of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister, Amir Haider Khan Hoti, and Provincial Minister for Health, Syed Zahir Ali Shah to withdraw the condition for ad hoc doctors to depart them with appointment of medical staffs through commission exams. He said that government should consider their request in the best interest of health system and future of a large doctors' community.