By Hina Kiyani
ISLAMABAD: Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior Senator A. Rehman Malik has taken suo moto notice of the privatization of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and has sought a detailed report from Secretary Ministry of Interior with comments from Secretary Health and Secretary Privatization Commission. He took the notice on the demand of protesting employees of PIMS who claimed that they were not taken into confidence on the decision.
In the notice, he has directed the Secretary Interior and Chief Commissioner Islamabad to examine the circumstances and background for privatizing a national health institution. The notice stated that initially two hospitals the Polyclinic and PIMS were established to take care of the health of residents of Islamabad and government’s employees. It added that the low paid government and non-governmental employees including residents of the Islamabad have the
privilege to get better treatment from PIMS adding that under the Service Act, treatment of government employees is their basic right. He said that privatization of PIMS is violation of Service Act as medical treatment is
part of service package and they can’t be deprived of their basic right. Senator A. Rehman Malik said that by privatization of PIMS, the poor government servants and residents of Islamabad and surrounding areas shall
be deprived of their basic right of health facility.
He said that very surprisingly, the Government has taken the decision of privatization of PIMS without approval of Parliament and Senate Standing Committee on Interior will look into consideration the reason and background
behind this move. The Chairman Standing Committee on Interior said that privatization would not only put jobs of doctors, nurses, paramedics and other employees of PIMS at stake but will also increase the cost of treatment of the poor and government employees. He said that the committee will held public hearing on the issue if necessary. The notice also stated that protest by PIMS employees has become an issue of law and order situation in Islamabad as it has been increasing unrest among the employees and adjacent residents.
