MIT Ordinance will not lead to privatisation of government hospitals, assures PM Imran

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said that the Medical Teachings Institutions (MIT) Ordinance 2019 was introduced as part of a public sector hospital reform plan and would not lead to the privatisation of government hospitals.

In a message posted on the social networking website Twitter, PM Imran stressed that the ordinance would enable the improved management of public sector hospitals in the Punjab province, in line with modern management standards. 

"The MTI Act/Ordinance is to enable improved and modern management of public sector hospitals. This is NOT privatisation but part of our public sector hospitals' reform plan. The hospitals will remain government hospitals. Better managed hospitals will mean better facilities for patients," he said. 

Earlier on Wednesday, the Punjab government signed into effect the MIT Ordinance 2019, following the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government that already runs government hospitals in the province under this plan, sparking fears of privatisation of government hospitals. 

According to the reform plan, government hospitals in Punjab will now be run under a Board of Governors, who will be appointed from the private sector and will be responsible for overseeing the management of these hospitals. 

The board will have complete authority over appointing administration staff, senior officials in the hospitals, as well as formulating a Management Committee for each hospital. 

The management committee will consist of key hospital staff, including hospital director, medical director, nursing and finance directors, as well as two members nominated by the board. 

According to the new plan, the civil servant status of government health employees will be abolished, and there would be no role of the provincial health department in the state-run medical teaching institutions.