Quality standards: PMDC continues drive against substandard medical colleges

Warns medical colleges to address deficiencies

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) on Friday issued a warning to Avincenna Medical College in Lahore for a number of deficiencies which were identified during a surprise monitoring check.

The PMDC has already issued warnings to colleges not adhering to PMDC standards, such as Yusra Medical College, Al-Nafees Medical College, and Rawal Institute of Health Sciences in Islamabad.

Avicenna, which was established in 2009, trains 150 MBBS students annually. It was found during the visit that the teaching hospital had less than 10% bed occupancy.

According to a press statement issued by PMDC, the college had an empty ICU and 18 vacant ventilators. It further noted that there were only four patients against 40 emergency beds, and the bathrooms did not meet cleanliness standards.

Though a private hospital, PMDC has shown its displeasure with it for not offering their facilities to public hospitals, where many patients are left waiting due to overcrowding.

PMDC President Professor Shabbir Lahri directed the college to rectify their deficiencies in one month and warned that if college failed to rectify these deficiencies, strict action would be taken against it.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28^th, 2016.