Daily Times

The bureaucrats of the Provincial Health Department continue to exhibit callous negligence, by delaying the posting of recently promoted 233 Senior Medical Officers (SMOs) from BPS-18 to 19.

In another recent attempt to further delay the posting of the promoted officers, the department has issued yet another letter on March 9, 2021, addressed to the Director General, Health Services, Sindh, all the Directors, District Health Officers and Medical Superintendents of tertiary hospitals, across the province, mentioning names of the 233 promoted SMOs, to furnish/provide information of their place of domicile and last five years of postings of these newly promoted SMOs, at the earliest.

This letter has become viral on social media on which the promoted SMOs have expressed their surprise and anguish, terming it as another useless attempt to delay their postings on cheap excuses.

Few of them complained to the media on Friday, on condition of anonymity, that their promotions were made after they submitted their Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) which clearly mentioned the posting period and place of domicile of every promoted doctor. The grieving officers questioned the need for this information yet again? They further argued as to why their service record has not yet been computerized by their head office, and why their service record was not sought before the meeting of the selection board which was held on November 24th.

The grieving doctors also mentioned that the posting of four newly promoted SMOs were made on 8th February along with the others, but questioned whether their record was obtained prior to the postings. They further asked as to why a proper posting criterion was not prepared.

They alleged that massive corruption is rampant at their department, adding nothing is carried out as per rules without a bribe, which is not only astonishing but ruining their careers.

The aggrieved medical officers said those doctors who have political influence have been posted and summaries of few others are still pending decisions at the health minister’s office which is astonishing. They alleged that postings of those doctors have not yet been made who submitted their No Objection Certificates (NOCs) against vacant posts which too has exposed the designs of their bosses and is indeed very surprising for them. They said, good governance and merit cannot be established until and unless root causes of corruption are not wiped out once for all and ruthlessly.

They demanded immediate postings on vacant posts or else, they warned, they will be forced to come out on roads and protest for their lawful rights for which only health department bosses will be responsible.