Jinnah Sindh Medical University syndicate approves rehiring without meeting
• Syndicate members asked to approve cabinet’s controversial decision regarding reappointment of Dr Nighat Shah by email: sources • Faculty, JPMC doctors question extension; believe it could affect promotion prospects of candidates awaiting professorship • Dr Shah responds to criticism, claims extension was needed for continuity and accreditation of the programmes she’s leading KARACHI: In an…
The Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU) syndicate approved the rehiring of Prof Dr Nighat Shah without convening a meeting, according to a cabinet decision granted on a three-year extension. Prof Nighat Shah, who was set to retire on August 12, was heading an obstetrics/gynaecology unit at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC).
The extension decision, announced on August 5, was communicated to syndicate members via email on August 11, with a deadline to respond by the following day. Faculty and JPMC doctors expressed concerns that the extension could impact the promotion prospects of candidates waiting for professorship positions in the department. Prof Nighat Shah defended the extension, stating it was necessary for the continuity and accreditation of the programmes she led, and that it did not hinder the career progression of her colleagues.
She joined JSMU in 2015 as an assistant professor and led three programmes during her tenure. She later received IVF training from Germany and set up reproductive health and genetic screening services in 2019, becoming the associate professor and professor through selection boards. Critics, however, argued that a more equitable solution would have been to transfer her to underserved areas of the province instead of extending her tenure at JPMC.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
