Daily Times

The National Assembly (NA) on Monday extended the Medical Teaching Institution (MTI) Ordinance for 100 more days. While defending the ordinance, Parliamentary Secretary for National Health Services Dr Nosheen Hamid said it will strengthen the healthcare system in the federal capital.

The Lower House in its 29th meeting, chaired by Speaker Asad Qaiser, approved the extension of MTI Ordinance 2020 for further 100 days with effect from March 13, 2021. According to the ordinance, a Board of Governors (BoG) would be formed which would run all affairs of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). The members of BoG will be appointed and notified by the health ministry on the recommendations of a search and nomination council. The members will hold office for a period of three years and will be eligible for re-appointment as well. Autonomy would be given to the hospital and the BoG will have overall superintendence and control over functions of the hospital. The BoG will be responsible for appointing deans, the hospital director, medical director, nursing director and finance director of the hospital.

It further stated that the private patient billing will consist of the professional fee component and institutional charges including clinic, imaging facility, laboratory services or other institutional charges. A share from the institutional charges shall be distributed among the employees based on performance and productivity.

While clarifying some concerns raised by the opposition benches, Dr Nosheen Hamid informed the House that it is not correct that the hospital is going to be privatized but an autonomous status is being given to it. The step, she said, has been taken to enhance the healthcare system in the federal capital. “The patients’ treatment which earlier would have been done in months now would be done just in days with better quality,” she claimed.

Former prime minister and PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf expressed his concerns over the proposed legislation saying the sitting government is going to implement an ‘anti-poor system’ regardless of their own claims in the past for provision of a free healthcare system to the masses. “PIMS is a major public-sector hospital which was a source for free of cost treatment for the poor masses. However, the government has snatched this facility from the masses through a futile legislation,” he regretted, adding that the middle and poor class which is already passing through difficult financial circumstances due to ever-increasing inflation and joblessness will now deprived of the free health facility as well.

Dr Hamid replied that no fee will be charged from any deserving patient.

Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said that it was also a sheer discrimination that the doctors and other staffers of PIMS will no more be government employees, rather they will be private employees of the hospital after the MTI ordinance.

Dr Hamid, however, made it clear that the status of PIMS employees would be intact as all civil servant rules would be applicable to them with letter and sprit.

Raja Pervaiz Ashraf also highlighted that it’s surprising that the legislation regarding the new system is yet under process while the government has finalized the appointment of BoG members.

Besides, the Income Tax (amendment) Ordinance 2021 and PAF Air War College Institute Ordinance, 2021 tabled by Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh and Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood respectively were accepted by the House to lay them for legislation. The House also passed the National College of Arts Institute Bill 2020.

The speaker gave a chance to Shazia Marri of PPP to read her motions and the Human Rights standing committee’s reports. Instead of reading her moved items, she opted for pointing out some other public issues including the MTI ordinance. The speaker requested her to stick to her agenda but she paid no heed and the speaker had to turn her mic off. Later, the speaker asked Nafeesa Inayatullah Khan Khattak and another member of the ruling party to read reports and motions.

The session will resume today (Tuesday).