LAHORE: The Punjab Health Department has issued new directives revising the authority to approve leave for doctors and medical staff across the province’s teaching hospitals.
The department has withdrawn the powers previously granted to hospital administrations to approve leave for senior doctors. In this regard, the teaching hospitals will now be authorized to approve leave of up to 89 days only for employees serving in Grade 17 and below.
In this sense, the move marks a clear shift in administrative control, as senior-level leave approvals will now be centralized within the department itself. So far, hospital heads were empowered to approve leave applications for all doctors and government employees for up to 89 days.
Meanwhile, the leave requests from Senior Registrars to Professors will require direct approval from designated officers of the Health Department. Similarly, all types of leave for General Cadre doctors in Grades 18 to 20 will also be subject to departmental clearance.
However, the notification maintains certain exceptions. The teaching hospitals will retain the authority to approve maternity leave and iddat leave for female doctors and staff members, ensuring that these matters remain handled at the institutional level.
It does not elaborate on the underlying reasons for this administrative restructuring.
The sudden revision has created interest within medical circles, raising questions about operational efficiency, administrative oversight, and the broader strategy behind the decision.
