RAWALPINDI:
Questions have been raised over administrative discipline and governance at Holy Family Hospital (HFH) after transfer orders affecting several senior doctors were withdrawn just a day after they were issued.
A notification issued on May 18 by the HFH Medical Superintendent transferred three Grade 20 Principal Medical Officers (PMOs), Dr Tanveer Akhtar, Dr Abid Hassan and Dr Irfan Bashir, to the new main OPD building.
Six additional Grade 19 PMOs were also reassigned. Dr Nadeem Malik and Dr Saleem Nawaz were moved to the main OPD, while Dr Rana Sattar, Dr Shahida Imtiaz, Dr Sumaira Sattar and Dr Asma Riaz were posted to the Gynecology OPD.
Additionally, two Grade 18 Senior Medical Officers, Dr Haroon Rahim and Dr Raja Qaiser Saeed Khan, have been shifted to the Pediatric OPD and the new main OPD building respectively.
Hospital sources said it was for the first time in the institution’s history that such a large number of senior doctors, who had been carrying out key administrative and medical responsibilities, were transferred to OPD duties through a single order.
However, amid concerns about the expected reaction and possible administrative difficulties, the hospital administration withdrew the transfer orders on May 19 and restored all senior doctors to their previous positions.
The issuance of what was described as an unusual and disproportionate order, followed by its withdrawal the following day, has raised serious questions about administrative discipline and governance within the hospital system.
