PESHAWAR, May 25: Filling of over 6,000 posts lying vacant in 1,600 health facilities of the NWFP is likely to be a bone of contention between the provincial health department and local governments (LGs), sources say.

Provincial Health Minister Syed Zahir Ali Shah soon after assuming charge had ordered details of the vacant posts in the health sector.

“This may create differences between the (provincial) health department and the respective (24) district governments, because the former would like to make appointments on the vacant posts, while the latter would want to appoint persons of their own likings,” they said.

Most of the vacant posts were of class III and IV, technicians and lady health visitors which, according to the Local Government Ordinance 2001, was the responsibility of the district governments to fill them. But the health minister and his team at the secretariat were reportedly leaving no stone unturned to make sure their nominees get appointed on the vacant posts.

The health department had already asked the NWFP Public Service Commission to conduct test and interviews for filing up of about 1,000 vacant posts of medical officers throughout the province.

According to the Local Government Ordinance, the executive district officers (EDOs) health were entitled to make recruitments on the posts from BPS-1 to BPS-10 at their own, whereas they were required to consult the district nazim and district coordination officers regarding appointment on the posts from BPS-11 to BPS-16.

“The provincial health department has already asked the District Government Peshawar to desist from making appointments in the health sector,” the sources said, adding that the directives had been issued verbally in a meeting between the officials of the health department and district government a few days ago.

Sources said that the NWFP Assembly Deputy Speaker Khushdil Khan had reportedly directed the EDO health, Peshawar, to furnish him a list of vacancies in the district so that he could recommend the people for filling up of the posts. The matter was reported to the health minister, who directed the district government and the EDO health to refrain from making appointments in the health department.

They said the alleged interference of the deputy speaker, who belongs to the Awami National Party (ANP), would not be tolerated as the chief minister had already made posting and transfers on senior posts in the health department against the wishes of Health Minister Zahir Shah, who belongs to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

Both the PPP and ANP, coalition partners in the province, had already faced with problems over the issue of posting and transfers and the district governments are likely to lock horns with the provincial governments in this regard.

Recently, the health minister asked the EDO Swabi to send him the list of vacant posts in the newly-built Shah Mansoor Medical Complex on which the authorities concerned had already conducted tests and were in the process of holding interviews. The sources said the district nazim Swabi had taken exception to the minister’s move and had reportedly termed it an encroachment on the district government.

District Nazim Swabi Shahram Khan told Dawn that the health minister had banned interviews for lower grade posts. “We would react, because it is the domain of the district government to make appointments on such posts,” he said.

Mr Khan said that they were ready to consult the provincial government where ever needed, but this was not good omen for the people, because such move had hampered the inauguration of the Shah Mansoor Medical Complex.

Sources said that such a situation might emerge in all districts because the provincial health department would soon start filling up of vacant posts, which could irk respective district governments. The health department was also reassessing the appointment of about 150 computers operators appointed by the MMA’s government in the province. They said that majority of them were recruited without tests and interviews.

“There will be a reassessment test of 64 computer operators, who were appointed in the Lady Reading Hospital, by MMA government. Most of them may lose jobs,” they said and added that other employees would also undergo a similar exercise.