Punjab Assembly passes Medical Teaching Institutions Act

LAHORE (92 News) – The Punjab Assembly on Wednesday passed the Medical Teaching Institutions (MTI) Act with majority. According to the MTI act, a board will be established to manage financial and administrative matters of government hospitals. The management board will be charged with hiring and dismissing directors in the hospitals for three years. It will also have the power to hire professors, surgeons, doctors and paramedics in hospitals. The board will be responsible for development plans and procurement of equipment and it may increase treatment fees to help run hospital finances. The board will consist of Health minister as Chairman, Additional Chief secretary as vice chairman and 5 members. On the other hand, Grand Health Alliance has announced to approach the court against MTI act. Grand Health Alliance Chairman Dr Salman has said that the alliance completely rejects the act and passing of the act in Punjab Assembly is sad and anti-patient. "The alliance will not allow the act to be implemented and the plans for closing of hospitals will be finalized tomorrow," he added.