LAHORE:The ill-planned transfer of hospitals from the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department (SHC&MED) to the Health and Population Department (H&PD) has taken a heavy toll on the staff members of the hospitals.
One such example is Zanana Jubilee Hospital Bahawalpur, where employees have been scapegoated for administrative incompetence in both departments. Around 40 to 45 staff members have not received their salaries for the past two months. ‘While entire staff including doctors, nurses, paramedics and administrative officials have been deprived of their pays, the treatment services to the patients have also been significantly affected,’ the officials informed.
With the holy month of Ramazan underway, employees are struggling to make both ends meet, unable to feed their children, pay school fees, or clear utility bills. They say they are running from pillar to post as officials cite budget constraints, leaving the hospital caught between the two departments. Staff members have repeatedly informed the medical superintendent but the issue remains unresolved. They warn that any further delay will leave them unable to survive.
The Medical Superintendent Dr Awais Arif said a letter has been written to the H&PD requesting immediate release of salaries and expressed hope they will be paid before Eid-ul-Fitr. He attributed the delay to administrative issues following the transfer. “Although I assumed the charge only a fortnight ago, I immediately acted and requested the H&PD to resolve the matter, saying that the former administrative department bears no responsibility”.
To a question, he said that they have taken steps to ensure uninterrupted provision of treatment to the patients. He further stated that the hospital, a mother and child healthcare facility, has been upgraded to a DHQ hospital. Bed capacity will increase, new posts will be sanctioned, and general treatment services will expand, improving healthcare delivery.
Staff have appealed to the CM Punjab, Secretary Health, and Commissioner Bahawalpur to take immediate notice and ensure prompt salary release. The spokesman for the Health and Population Department(H&PD) informed that the issue was in the notice of authorities and will be resolved soon and the pending salaries will be cleared before Eid.
When approached for version, Minister for Health and Population DepartmentKhawaja Imran Nazir said that authorities concerned has been directed for disbursing the salaries before Eid.
