LARKANA:Three medical colleges in Larkana and Sukkur region running under Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU) are facing acute shortage of teaching faculty due to which professional studies of the students has been in trouble. The woes of the patients of Chandka Medical College Hospital (CMCH) have also multiplied due to this problem.
These institutions include Chandka Medical College (CMC) and Bibi Aseefa Dental College (BADC), Larkana, Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College (GMMMC), Sukkur. No new appointments or promotions of teachers have so far been made during past four years as one of the professors filed petition in the Sindh High Court, Sukkur, against the SMBBMU policy of promotions and appointments. The court had directed that 50% promotions be made through DPC and 50% of the vacant posts be filled through fresh recruitment. This decision was challenged by the university in apex court which is still pending decision due to which neither promotions nor appointments have been made resulting loss of essential education of the students’ subjects.
According to reliable sources, there are 166 sanctioned posts of Assistant Professors, Associate Professors and Professors in CMC alone out of which 80 are filled and 86 are still vacant. In GMMMC there are 64 same posts out of which 43 are vacant and 21 are filled.
Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) team is presently conducting inspection in Larkana which is expected to take serious notice of this major shortfall in the faculty along with other deficiencies.
CMC was established by former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in 1973 but its teaching faculty has not yet been completed despite passage of 46 years now.
Three basic departments of CMC are still running without proper heads in this scientific era which include Anatomy, Forensic Medicine and Community Medicine. Basic and Clinical Departments have 36 posts out of which 17 professors are working and shortage of 19 professors is being faced. Likewise, out of 43 posts of Associate Professors 20 are filled and 23 are vacant. In this way 43 assistant professors are posted and four posts are vacant out of 47 sanctioned posts. There is no professor of Chest, Cardiology, Radiology, Pediatric Surgery, Psychiatry and Dermatology Departments where assistant professors or senior lecturers have been working as incharge. The quality of education and treatment could very easily be assessed.
Similar situation prevails in GMMMC where six professors are working out of 17 sanctioned posts and shortage of 11 is being faced. Out of 18 posts of associate professors only four are working and other posts are vacant and out of 25 posts of assistant professors 11 are working and 14 are vacant. In this way out of 64 posts 21 are posted and 43 posts are vacant.
BADC principal Dr. Ilyas Shaikh, who was assistant professor, has been posted in BPS-20 in Dow Medical University Karachi, has left the job and charge has been handed over to Dr. Shahid Mirani but this college also is undergoing acute shortage of faculty which ultimately also affects the patients of CMCH which too is facing serious administrative issues besides of non-filling of sanctioned posts of doctors and paramedical staff.
The students, poverty-stricken patients and poor residents of Larkana have urged the provincial rulers to fill all the vacant posts forthwith which will reduce unemployment on one hand and they will also earn blessings of many people on the other, which are badly needed to their leadership at this critical time.