Health Dept recruits 2,456 quacks at BHUs

Health Dept recruits 2,456 quacks at BHUs
Lahore: Punjab Health Department recruited 2,456 'quacks' in grade 17th for providing healthcare facilities to innocent school children at Basic Health Units (BHUs) level and new posts of School Health & Nutrition Supervisors were created for this purpose on the orders of Governor Punjab.

In year 2008, 2nd division MA economics, MA Urdu, MA Punjabi degree holders who had no knowledge of health sciences were made 'doctors' by appointing them as School Health & Nutrition Supervisors at Basic Health Units (BHUs), it has been learnt.

Insiders said the appointments of School Health and Nutrition Supervisors were made mostly on political basis ignoring the fact that MA degree holder candidates do not have the capacity to guide or judge anything about nutrition status of children at the rural schools.

Sources in the Punjab health department informed that the Secretary Health Punjab appointed "educated quacks" for providing health education and healthcare facilities to school children despite the fact that hundreds of young doctors are running from pillar to post for regular jobs in the health department.

The Health Department in its record showed that those recruited had relevant master's degree in nutrition, sociology, social works, psychology, anthropology, botany, chemistry and microbiology in a bid to fill the gap existing in healthcare on account of shortage of doctors willing to serve in rural areas.

The health department after a training of three months on the pattern of Lady Health Workers (LHVs) appointed the 2,456 candidates in grade 17th like 'doctors' with heavy responsibility of health of school children in rural areas.

As per the specifications, including qualification requirement laid down by the Health Department for the posts read as under: "The qualification for the recruitment on posts of School Health and Nutrition Supervisors will be Masters Degree in any subject at least 2nd division from a recognised university, preference will be given to master's degree in Nutrition, Sociology, Social Works, Psychology, Anthropology, Botany, Chemistry, Microbiology, MPA and MBA."

Dr Javed Haider Joya, who is serving under Punjab Rural Support Programme (PRSP) at Basic Health Unit Burewala said that PRSP doctors and paramedical staff are protesting against the double standards of Punjab health department which ignoring MBBS doctors had appointed quacks in grade 17 at BHUs. The nation