LAHORE: The recognition status of the Shaikh Zayed Postgraduate Medical Institute and Medical College, Lahore, is at stake, along with its students academic career as the authorities have stopped appointment of senior faculty members after some senior medics expressed their apprehensions that fresh postings might further delay their promotions to next grade.The process of appointments was stopped a few days before inspection of the institute by a Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) team scheduled to visit it on May 19 (tomorrow), a senior official seeking anonymity told Dawn.

He said the PMDC had pointed out shortage of teachersin15 disciplines of the institute -eight in clinical sciences and seven in basic sciences -asking its management to fill the slots before the inspection.

It will be the first scheduled visitof a PMDC team to the teaching hospital since its transfer to Punjab government from Centre in 2012, along with its major components, including the Shaikh Khalifa Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Medical and Dental College, Shaikh Zayed Postgraduate Medical Institute and Shaikh Fatima Institute of Nursing and Health Sciences.

The official said that in compliance with the PMDC`s direction, the institute management had started recruitment process afteradvertising the contract-based vacancies in Dec 2014.

Hundreds of candidates had applied for the slots, including more than 70 for one vacant position at the Physiology department. Similarly, some 75 candidates applied for the three vacant positions at anatomy department.

Headed by an official of the rank of a secretary, the recruitment committee comprised SZH Chairman, deputy dean and other officials who had shortlisted andthen interviewed the candidates.

Health department had also objected to giving promotions to senior SZH doctors through a departmental committee (DPC), stating as the hospital was now being run by Punjab government, it would have to follow the rules and regulations of the province.

The department said the promotion cases of SZH senior faculty would be processed in future by the provincial selection boardthen interviewed the candidates.

Health department had also objected to giving promotions to senior SZH doctors through a departmental committee (DPC), stating as the hospital was now being run by Punjab government, it would have to follow the rules and regulations of the province.

The department said the promotion cases of SZH senior faculty would be processed in future by the provincial selection board (PCB) of Punjab instead of the DPC which had earlier been handling the matters when the institute was being run by federal government. It directed the SZH administration to prepare working papers of the promotion cases in accordance with the Punjab government`s rules.

Realising that the promotion process through PCB might take time while the PMDC inspection date was approaching fast, theinstitute opted for filling the vacant positions through contract appointments.

The official said the appointment process was stopped due to pressure exerted by some senior doctors of the SZH who apprehended that the fresh postings would adversely affect their seniority. They demanded the government should first consider the cases of the SZH`s senior doctors who were awaiting promotions to the next grade for the last many years.

They also pointed out that noDPC meeting was held for the promotion of senior doctors for the last six years and the new appointments would cause a further delay.

SZH Chairman Prof Dr Farid Ahmad Khan talking to Dawn admitted the appointment process had been stopped in order to `take some annoyed faculty members on board` He said the PMDC`s warning could not be ignored as the institute`s de-recognition would put the future ofits studentsatstake.`We are bound to follow the PMDC instructions`, Prof Farid said, adding that senior faculty positions had been lying vacant for the last many years, bringing a bad name to the institute.

He said the senior doctors should show flexibility for the sake of the institute and for the future of the students.

To a question about the SZH medics` seniority issue, he said the health department was fully committed to give them promotions.