Sindh govt says cut in DUHS staff salaries was due to ‘technical issue’

KARACHI: The Sindh government has said the cut in the salaries of the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) staff was due to a “technical issue”, which has been “sorted now” after it was highlighted by Geo News.

The TV channel reported earlier in the day that the teaching hospital’s professors, doctors and other staff were paid only half for the month of June and that too after a week’s delay.

Responding to the issue, Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said, “This was due to a technical issue. It has been sorted now, entire salaries will be paid by #SindhGovt and necessary instructions have been issued.”

“Thank u for highlighting this,” he added.

The staffers of the health university, who are at the front of the battle against the coronavirus, had expressed concerns on the sudden cut in their salaries.

Last week, the Punjab government said it had accepted the resignation of 48 doctors at teaching hospitals across Punjab, a notification said.

According to a notice by the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education (SHCME) Department, dated June 27, those who stepped down had tendered in their resignations at various times this year.

Of the 48 to have resigned, 11 had handed in their resignation letters before Pakistan reported its first coronavirus case on February 26, 2020.

Among the doctors to have stepped down, 14 were from Lahore’s Mayo Hospital, seven from Jinnah Hospital, six from Children Hospital, four from Teaching Hospital Dera Ghazi Khan and three from Lahore General Hospital.

Two medics each also quit at Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Sheikh Zayed Medical College (SZMC) Rahim Yar Khan, Government Nawaz Sharif Teaching Hospital Yakki Gate, and Services Hospital, Lahore.

In addition, the resignations of one doctor each at the Civil Hospital Bahawalpur; Lady Aitchison Hospital, Lahore; Government Kot Khawaja Saeed Teaching Hospital, Lahore; Government Teaching Hospital, Shahdara; and Government Mian Munshi DHQ Teaching Hospital, Lahore were accepted.

Article source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/683394-duhs-slashes-50-salaries-of-doctors-and-amid-covid-19-pandemic