Appointments at Islamabad’s major hospitals: Health ministry assures transparency and merit

ISLAMABAD: A communication from the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations (MoNHSR) to the Ministry of Defence made headlines, on Sunday, due to a controversial proposal outlined in the letter.

MoNHSR highlighted the urgency of filling two vacant ED positions at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Polyclinic, to ensure the effective delivery of healthcare services in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).

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As a temporary solution, the caretaker government has sought qualified hospital managers from the Pakistan Army Medical Corps, at the BS-21 level, to take on these roles on deputation for a period of three years, reported Dawn news on Sunday.

This decision, though met with resistance from the medical community, has been defended by the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) as a necessary step to enhance patient care and streamline hospital operations. The move comes in response to the unavailability of qualified candidates within the existing medical cadre for the position of executive director (ED) in these hospitals, a critical leadership role.

Dawn report quoted a senior official within the health ministry, requesting anonymity, saying that the appointment of military officers would likely bring discipline and improved healthcare to these hospitals. The officer alleged that both senior and junior doctors, as well as paramedics, exhibited issues related to punctuality and professionalism. Furthermore, allegations were made that some doctors at these hospitals were conducting unnecessary tests at external facilities they owned, adding to patient burdens.

However, a senior doctor at PIMS expressed frustration with the decision, deeming it “unfortunate.” The doctor raised concerns over the growing trend of appointing military officers to head institutions nationwide, citing corruption as the pretext. They advocated for the appointment of competent civilian professionals and questioned the armed forces’ focus on timekeeping over the quality of work.

The move has triggered worries among the medical community, with some professionals fearing that the shortage of healthcare workers could worsen, as qualified doctors might opt to leave the public health sector. Despite these concerns, Ministry of Health spokesperson Sajid Shah maintained that the decision was necessary and would address many of the complaints and issues faced by these hospitals, emphasising the government’s commitment to reforming the healthcare sector.

اسلام آباد کے بڑے ہسپتالوں کے سربراہان کی بھرتی ریکروٹمنٹ رولز کے مطابق ہو گی ترجمان وزارتِ صحت
اس سلسلے میں مروجہ طریقے کار کے مطابق سختی سے عمل کیا جائے گا ترجمان وزارتِ صحت
اس سلسلے میں انتظامیہ کو ہدایات جاری کر دی گئیں ہیں ترجمان وزارتِ صحت pic.twitter.com/TsmPK2rVVh

— Ministry of National Health Services, Pakistan (@nhsrcofficial) October 29, 2023

In a clarification statement shared by Spokesperson Sajid with Hum News English, the ministry said that “recruitment of heads of major hospitals in Islamabad will be undertaken as per recruitment rules strictly on merit following due process/procedures. It was decided in a meeting on August 25, 2023 chaired by the Minister for Health”.

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The statement further said, “Necessary instructions to initiate process for filling of posts of various cadres have been issued. The government believes in upholding utmost transparency and merit in recruitments and it is advised not to pay heed to any unverified stories/speculations circulating on social media”.

In his statement, Sajid Shah said, “No infodemic can deter us from our mission of reforms and services to Pakistan. The Government/ministry of NHS has the right and utmost duty to select the most suitable candidates to bring improvement in the service delivery for the public”.