HYDERABAD, Aug 30: A  junior officer has been posted by the Sindh health department to run a multi -billion rupee Hepatitis Prevention and Control Programme (Chief Minister’s Initiative) in Sindh.

Dr Ayaz Memon, a Grade-18 officer, has been posted as Programme Manager ‘On his Own Pay and Scale’ (OPS) basis against Dr Abdul Majeed Chutto, who is a Grade-19 officer.

Memon had earlier served as head of district and taluka headquarters hospital improvement project.

The Hepatitis Prevention and Control Programme (Chief Minister’s Initiative) has a budget of Rs5 billion.

Earlier, the Sindh health department had posted Dr Ghulam Mustafa Abbasi as Director-General Health Services, Sindh in place of Dr Hafeez Memon.

Memon had filed a constitutional petition in the Sindh High Court which set aside the notification of posting of Dr Abbasi in his place.

Dr Hafeez Memon’s counsel had argued in the petition that he was a BPS-20 officer while a BPS-19 officer had been posted in his place although the post required an official of BPS-20.

“I was posted as Civil Surgeon Umerkot which was a Grade-19 post and I am currently in BPS-20,” he said.

He added that the court passed an order on his petition that he should be given proper posting and the notification of Dr.Abbasi was set aside.

He said that he had now been posted as Director Health Hyderabad division. This post is neither sanctioned nor has any budgetary allocations.

“It doesn’t have any office either”, he said.

Likewise, the post of Programme Manager of Hepatitis Prevention and Control Programme is to be held by an officer either of BPS-19 or above.

Even the deputy programme manager, Dr Anjum Saeed, is said to be an officer of BPS-19 whereas out of 10 monitoring officers, five are in BPS-18 and the rest are below BPS-18. Dr Majeed Chuttho has not relinquished the charge yet.

A senior health official avoided sharing facts which led to the posting of Dr Ayaz. “Why are you quoting me? BPS-18 and BPS-19 orders are issued from Chief Secretary’s office as it is the domain of that office”, he said.

He added that “lets pray that whosoever is posted must be honest and hard working”, the official who wanted not to be named, said.

He, however, added that many such junior officers were holding senior positions in the provincial health department. “The order is issued with the consent of the chief minister of Sindh as it is a BPS-20 post”, said a provincial cabinet member.

He added that such orders are issued by the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD).

“Sindh government had decided to do away with the policy of OPS but practically it is still being pursued”, he said.

Mr Chutto confirmed that Dr Ayaz Memon was a Grade-18 official and he had been posted as new Programme Manager in his place.

Secretary Services Iqbal Hussain Durrani could not be contacted despite several attempts.