RAWALPINDI:
Questions have been raised about administrative discipline and governance at Holy Family Hospital (HFH) after transfer orders affecting several senior doctors were withdrawn just a day after being issued.
A notification issued on May 18 by the Medical Superintendent of HFH transferred three Grade-20 Principal Medical Officers (PMOs)—Dr. Tanveer Akhtar, Dr. Abid Hassan and Dr. Irfan Bashir – for the primary OPD new building.
Six Grade-19 Additional PMOs were also redeployed. Dr. Nadeem Malik and Dr. Saleem Nawaz was transferred to the primary OPD, while Dr. Rana Sattar, Dr. Shahida Imtiaz, Dr. Sumaira Sattar and Dr. Asma Riaz was posted to the Gynecology OPD.
In addition, two Grade-18 Senior Medical Officers – Dr. Haroon Rahim and Dr. Raja Qaiser Saeed Khan – transferred to Pediatrics OPD and Primary OPD New Building respectively.
Hospital sources said it was the first time in the institution’s history that such a large number of senior doctors, who had been performing important administrative and medical duties, were transferred to OPD duties through a single order.
However, amid concerns over the expected response and potential administrative difficulties, the hospital administration withdrew the transfer orders on May 19 and reinstated all chief doctors to their previous posts.
The issuance of what was described as an unusual and disproportionate order, followed by its withdrawal the very next day, has raised serious questions regarding administrative discipline and governance in the hospital system.
