KARACHI:
The recent inauguration of Rasul Medical College in Mandi Bahauddin marks Punjab’s latest effort to expand public medical education, alongside the PMDC’s approval of 475 new public seats. While Punjab’s demographic scale justifies its institutional volume, its growth exposes the stagnation of medical infrastructure in neighbouring Sindh.
Despite Sindh’s population surging by over eight million since its last public medical college was established, there are no current plans to expand public healthcare education. This gap is most acute in Karachi, where the population has doubled to 18 million since Karachi Medical & Dental College was founded in 1991. Public medical colleges are vital for socio-economic mobility, offering affordable pathways to students priced out of exorbitant private universities.
Moreover, establishing these institutions creates well-equipped teaching hospitals that elevate healthcare delivery in their host districts. Rather than viewing this through the lens of inter-provincial rivalry, the Sindh government should use Punjab’s initiative as a catalyst to expand public MBBS seats, ensuring that medical careers are accessible to all and that underdeveloped regions receive proper healthcare infrastructure.
Musadique Manzoor
Larkana
