Strengthening health sector: Civil society hails CM’s decision to set up medical university

Govt should allocate special funds for execution, says PMA president

MULTAN: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s decision to set up a medical university in Multan has been largely welcomed by doctors, teachers, students and the civil society.

South Punjab Pakistan Medical Association President Dr Shahid Rao said a medical university was the need of the hour for the students of south Punjab, as there was only one medical college which could not cater to the needs of a population of 120 million.

Talking to the media, he said these universities will promote medical education and strengthen and develop the public health sector, nursing and allied health sciences.

“The government should allocate special funds for execution of this scheme in the current financial year,” Shahid said.

South Punjab Pakistan Medical Association General Secretary Dr Kashif Chishti also welcomed chief minister’s decision and was ready to provide all resources for setting up medical universities.

He hoped that a four-member committee headed by KEMU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Faisal Masood would submit its feasibility report and recommendations within a week.

“In Sindh, there are eight medical universities in the public sector, whereas in Punjab, there are only three,” he said.

Dr Kamran Salik said many brilliant students of South Punjab had to give up their studies as they could not afford boarding and lodging facilities by moving into other provinces to get admission in medical colleges.

He said this was a welcome development on the part of Chief Minister Shahbaz Shaif who has proved has PML-N government was not only funding for infrastructure development but for also human development.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12^th, 2016.