HMC medics challenge proposed abolition of share in test fee.

PESHAWAR -- Over a dozen senior doctors and paramedics of the Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar, have moved the Peshawar High Court challenging a plan of the public sector hospital's board of governors to abolish their share in charges of tests carried out by the radiology and pathology departments.

In a joint petition, Prof Malik Zeb and 20 other doctors and technicians of the HMC said the respondents, including the hospital's BoG, had been misinterpreting an amendment to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Medical Teaching Institutions (MTI) Reforms Act, 2015, whereby only the doctors opting for institution-based practice would be entitled to incentives.

The petitioners serving in pathology and radiology departments of the HMC and Institute of Kidney Diseases have challenged proposed end to share in user charges through lawyers Mian Muhibullah Kakakhel and Saifullah Muhib Kakakhel.

Insist MTI law changes for the purpose don't apply to them

Respondents in the petition include the provincial government through its chief secretary, health secretary, finance secretary, director general (health services), HMC BoG, provincial accountant general, director general (audit), and chairman of the policy board of all MTIs Dr Nausherwan Burki.

The petitioners said the provincial government had issued a notification on April 13, 2005, whereby a formula for user charges in public sector hospitals was devised.

They said they were frontline workers fighting against Covid-19 being pathology and radiology specialists.

The petitioners said through the MTI Reforms (Amendment) Act, 2018, several amendments were made to the 2015 law and the employees, who had not opted for IBP, wouldn't be provided incentives.

They contend that the said amendment was not applicable to them.

The petitioners said radiology and pathology were the specialties, which doctors rarely opted for over low salaries and poor work opportunities and professional development opportunities and therefore, the government had...