Hiring freeze keeps capital’s new health facilities non-functional

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ISLAMABAD: Despite the completion of the recruitment process for hundreds of important health care positions in the newly constructed hospitals and health centers of Islamabad, these facilities have been presented unprofessional by hiring staff and has already been transferred to the government hospitals, including PIMS, Policlink, and CDA Hospital.

Advertising posts, a part of various PSDP projects, were for basic health units (BHU), Community Health Centers (CHCS), and District Health Office, Islamabad Drug Control Section.

The Health Services Academy (HSA) was entrusted with the recruitment process, which included written exams, shortlisting candidates, and the final name to the ministry. However, without any formal information, the ministry directed the District Health Office, Islamabad to reject the full process and re -adjust all positions.

Dho Islamabad officials requested not to disclose their name, “We have been instructed by the ministry to stop this process and re -adjust all positions. When we requested written orders, no one has been provided.” Attempts were made to get the government’s point of view on this issue.

The affected positions include medical officers, anesthesiats, gynecologists, children’s experts, radiologists, nurses, pharmacists, lady health visitors, computer operators, and junior technicians.

These professionals were to be appointed to newly and fully equipped health care centers in Gokina, Bhadna Calan, Bari Imam, and I-13, which were created to access health care and reduce the burden of patients at major hospitals in the federal capital.

Despite the availability of infrastructure, medical equipment and furniture, facilities are closed due to the absence of prescribed staff.

HSA recruitment practice, allegedly costs a federal exchange of Rs 35 million.

A senior official familiar with the development remarked that the waste of such a massive effort without explanation or documents is “astonishing”, especially when the main healthcare infrastructure faces useless and delays in essential services.

Frozen has also paralyzed the long -term strength of the drug control section in Islamabad, where new posts were to be created for pharmaceutical officers, inspectors and auxiliary staff.

This section is responsible for monitoring more than 1,400 drug shops in the capital, currently working with only three inspectors – far less than unregistered, fake, or non -standard drug sales.

Another official in the DHO office said, “The move compromises the public health and weakens regulatory enforcement on drug sales in Islamabad.” This is not an isolated matter, as similar recruitment suspension has been reported in other key federal agencies.

In the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), more than 100 officers have been stopped in level appointments, which threatens the authority’s efforts to achieve the maturity standards of the World Health Organization.

Similarly, the National Institute of Health (NIH) has also experienced a frozen in monitoring and hiring its integrated diseases under the (IDSR) project, which damages real -time disease tracking and outbreaks.

Healthcare professionals and civil society organizations have raised serious concerns over these administrative decisions, and have termed them politically motivated and detrimental to public health.

“How can we get global health coverage or improve the supply of services when we are kept useless to active hospitals and trained professionals are kept unemployed?” Former Health Minister questioned.

To seek clarification, the representative reached senior officials of the ministry and the ministry spokesman Sajid Hussain Shah’s health minister Syed Mustafa Kamal.

He was asked why the recruitment process was stopped for full health facilities in Islamabad after a written test and shortlisting, and what was the justification for ordering the ministries to re -interpreted posts without issuing regular written instructions.

Another question was raised as to who would be held accountable for Rs 35 million spent on the recruitment processed by the Health Services Academy if it was now being wasted.

However, no response was received from any of them until the report was filed.

When the situation is dragging, pressure on the federal government is increasing to allow non -governmental freezing, issue formal orders, and to move forward in a transparent and effective way.