Health Dept-BoG tussle affecting HMC’s routine affairs

PESHAWAR: The tussle between the provincial health department and members of the Board of Governors (BoG) of Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) over the appointment of Hospital director has taken a new turn after the provincial health department withdrew its earlier decision to stop the BoG from relieving the hospital director, Dr Faisal Shahzad.

The tug of war between the HMC BoG and health department has been affecting the hospital’s routine affairs and patient care as presently there are two hospital directors sitting in the hospital.

The hospital faculty members felt that the issue was earning a bad name to their institution and demanded Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur appoint a high-level committee to thoroughly investigate the activities and decisions made by the present BoG.

The government had shortlisted new members for BoGs of the MTIs, but the delay in issuing notifications was causing damage to the institutions.

The Board of Governors, headed by a retired civil servant Ghulam Qadir Khan, recently relieved Dr Faisal Shahzad of his responsibilities and sent him back to the health department.

The BoG members initially pleaded that Faisal Shahzad was appointed as hospital director for a period of three years that, according to them, had already been completed.

Dr Faisal Shahzad then shared a letter with the BoG, saying he was appointed for a period of five years and that is going to complete in September 2024.

The BoG and health department exchanged letters, countered each other’s notifications and backed their respective stances.

The health department has stopped the BoG from relieving Dr Faisal Shahzad, saying since there was a ban on transfer and posting in all the public sector hospitals, the BoG was not authorised to relieve the hospital director.

The BoG didn’t stop there and sent another letter to the health department, saying Dr Faisal Shahzad had not obtained a no-objection certificate (NoC) from the health department after his three-year contract got expired.

The board had stated that the health department did not issue him any further NoC or permission to continue his services as hospital director following his promotion to BPS-20, and even his attempt to get NoC was turned down by the cabinet in the caretaker government

It stated that the entire stay of, what the BoG called as an ex-hospital director, from September 14, 2022 till date was illegal and have caused the loss of Rs9.5 million to the exchequer in shape of irregular pay, MTI allowances, other perks and privileges, which is recoverable from ex-hospital director. It noted that ex-HD remained absent from his substantive post till date, and it is requested that it should be inquired by the health department,” the BoG has further stated.

There was a new dramatic development when the health department issued yet another notification on May 29, 2024, withdrew its earlier letter, mentioning that Dr Faisal Shahzad was not granted extension in his contract by the caretaker cabinet.

“I am directed to refer to your letter No. 00779/HMC/BoG dated 20.05.2024 on the above captioned subject and to state that after expiry of tenure of Dr Shahzad Faisal, Hospital Director, MTI-HMC Peshawar on 13.09.2022, health department processed the case for his extension as Hospital Director MTI-HMC. However, the provincial cabinet regretted the proposal of the health department (Copy of minutes of the meeting is attached for ready reference). I am further directed to convey that extension to the deputation of Dr Shahzad Faisal was not granted and his tenure has expired long ago. Moreover, the case for posting/ transfer of the doctor concerned is being initiated against the cadre post,” the health department explained in its latest notification.

In another separate notification issued on May 29, 2024, the health department stated that: “This department's letter of even No. & dated on the subject noted above may be treated as withdrawn ab-initio”.

According to insiders of the health department, the health minister has to withdraw his earlier stance of coming to the rescue of Dr Faisal Shahzad, after he was alerted by his people that what he had done was in fact wrong and interference in affairs of the MTIs.
Health Minister Qasim Shah avoided commenting on the issue.

When reached, Dr Faisal Shahzad told The News that being a civil servant, he would have to obey whatever directions he is given. But, he argued that according to the contract, he is entitled to continue his job till September 13, 2024.

“The BoG can terminate my contract but they will have to issue me a prior notice three months before ending the contract. Also, they will have to pay me three months of salaries,” Dr Shahzad said.
Also, he said there were two directors in the hospital but he was still working as principal accounting officer.

The BoG has appointed an administrative official of HMC, Dr Sher Zaman Khan, BPS-18, as acting hospital director.