PESHAWAR: (Salman Yousafzai) The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has decided to amend the Medical Teaching Institutions (MTI) Act. A draft of the amendment has been prepared and is ready to be presented to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.
According to sources, the proposed amendment aims to grant the Chairperson of the Board of Governors the authority to make temporary appointments to key administrative positions. If approved, the Chairperson will be able to appoint individuals temporarily to the roles of Director of Hospital, Director of Medical Services, and Director of Nursing for a period of 120 days. If permanent appointments are not made within that timeframe, the duration of the temporary appointments can be extended.
The draft also allows employees the right to appeal any decision made by the Board of Governors. However, employees must first submit their complaints to the Grievance Committee within 30 days. The committee may extend this period if justified reasons are provided.
Furthermore, the health department will provide secretariat support to the Appellate Tribunal, while existing staff will remain in their positions under the current conditions. Under the new amendment, employees will first need to address their complaints to the Grievance Committee before escalating them to the Appellate Tribunal. In certain cases, prior approval from the Board may be required before approaching the Grievance Committee.
The amendment also includes a proposal to empower the Policy Board to create rules and regulations in accordance with this Act and its associated Rules.
According to sources, this amendment to the MTI Act is being introduced to enhance the organisation and effectiveness of the administrative affairs of medical institutions in the province.
