KP health dept, HMC BoG lock horns over hospital director’s replacement

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department and the Board of Governors (BoG) of the Hayatabad Medical Complex are at loggerheads over the replacement of Hospital Director Dr Faisal Shehzad.

“There are two hospital directors now - one appointed by the health minister and another by the Board of Governors,” a senior medical consultant told The News on condition of anonymity.

This correspondent obtained all the notifications issued by the BoG and the Health Department.The incumbent board, headed by former bureaucrat Ghulam Qadir Khan, on May 20 decided to relieve Hospital Director Dr Faisal Shahzad and return his services to his parent department. A senior administrative official of the hospital, Dr Sher Zaman, was appointed to replace him.

The order, however, was set aside by the Health Department on the pretext that the current boards were barred from taking such decisions. The board, however, chose to disagree.Consequently, the institute now has two individuals claiming to be the hospital director and the principal accounting officer who manages the financial affairs of the institute. The hospital administration and the faculty members are clueless as to whose orders they should follow.

The BoG issued a notification on May 20, and stated that Dr Faisal Shehzad, was appointed as hospital director for a period of five years but the deputation letter issued on September 13, 2019 shows he was appointed for three years, that expired on September 13, 2022.

The BoG members stated that as per their information, there was no record of any extension or departmental permission available.“I am directed to refer to the subject noted above and to state that the incumbent Hospital Director was appointed for a period of five years but the deputation letter no. No. SOH (E-V) 1-935/2016 dated 13 Sept 2019 was issued for a period of three years which expired on 13th Sept. 2022. As per our record, no such extension/departmental permission is available. Your good self is therefore requested to clarify or revert back the services of incumbent Hospital Director to his parent department,” the BoG explained in the first notification.

The BoG then circulated another notification on May 22, stating that consequent upon the decision taken in 29th BoG meeting, the board unanimously agreed to dispense with services of Dr Shahzad Faisal, the incumbent Hospital Director.

In this respect, he is relieved from the services as Hospital Director MTI-HMC and reverted to his parent department. The Board further decided to give the acting charge of hospital director to Dr Sher Zaman, Chief Administrative Officer, being the most senior in the department till the hiring of a new hospital director within three months.

The health department, meanwhile, moved to stop the BoG from taking any action. “... refer to your Notification No. 00984/HMC/BoG dated 22.05.2024, wherein the services of Dr. Faisal Shahzad, Hospital Director, were repatriated to his parent department vide notification under reference and to state that no approval for relaxation of ban was sought from the Minister Health prior to issuance of such repatriation which is violation of instructions issued by this department vide letter of even number dated 08.03.2024,” the health department stated in a notification issued on May 24.

The notification further stated that it was hereby directed to withdraw the notification about repatriation of Dr. Faisal Shahzad, Hospital Director and submit a case for relaxation of ban for perusal/approval of the Competent Authority (Minister for Health Khyber Pakhtunkhwa).

Apropos above, it is hereby further directed to take necessary action accordingly in true letter & spirit and compliance report be shared within three days positively for perusal of the Competent Authority.

Interestingly, the BoG reacted to the health department notification and yet issued another notification on May 25, saying it is for the information of all concerned that as per decision taken in 29th BoG meeting, Dr Faisal Shahzad, ex-hospital director was repatriated to his parent department vide this office letter no.00984/HMC/BOG dated 22 May, 2024.

“He stands relieved from the post of Hospital Director and hence cannot hold or chair any meeting in the premises of MTI-HMC. The Board being the competent authority has given the acting charge of Hospital Director to Dr. Sher Zaman and by virtue of his designation, he is the Principal Accounting Officer for MTI-HMC,” the BoG stated.

In this respect, all managers and hospital staff are advised to follow the orders/instructions of Dr. Sher Zaman, Hospital Director MTI-HMC and refrain from obeying illegal orders of Dr Faisal Shahzad, ex-hospital director, the board has explained.

This correspondent made multiple attempts to seek comments from the Health Minister Qasim Shah and chairman BoG HMC Ghulam Qadir Khan but they neither answered phone calls nor replied to text messages sent to their cellphones.

There were rumours that Dr Faisal Shehzad has quit his position as Hospital Director but he denied when reached by The News.“I am working on my position as Hospital Director as the health department has written a letter to the BoG and stated that there is a ban on all transfers and postings in the Medical Teaching Institutions. Also, he said the Board of Governors has nothing to do with his deputation, saying it was between him and the department. “The department has sent them a letter that Dr Faisal Shehzad will stay there in HMC as hospital director and that’s enough,” he argued.