Senate health committee to probe hike in fees of medical colleges

One institution yet to return Rs4,500 entry test charges to students

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee has constituted a sub-committee to look into the matter of fees raise in medical colleges according to their income and expenditure and present its report.

Pakistan Association of Private Medical and Dental Institutions has been demanding exorbitant  increase in fee structure but the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council does not want to overburden medical students so it is proposing a reasonable increase. The regulator has also constituted a committee and negotiations are still ongoing.

The current fee of a medical student is up to Rs 6,42000 and colleges have demanded to raise it up to Rs 900, 000.

A court ruling in 2009 had fixed a seven percent annual increase in fees of medical colleges. Director General Health Asad Hafeez speaking at Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services and Regulations said. In India a student pays up to two million rupees semester in a private institute. He said the fees should rationalized and adjusted only after looking at actual expenses of institutions.



The Senators said the colleges are not enrolling students on scholarship seats and there is not a single college that is running at a loss.

The committee formed a three member senate sub-committee which will analyse the lines of income and expenditures and present its analysis in the next meeting.

SIH not returning extra fee

The issue of not returning Rs4, 500 charged extra from each student for entry tests last year by the Shifa International Hospital also came under discussion. Senator Ateeq Shiekh said that admissions in the college should be stopped if it’s not willing to return the fee to students. The hospital also charges 25% tax on medicines, he added saying that the hospital does not follow any rule and there is no check and balances whatsoever. The committee directed the hospital to return the fee to students.

Banned private colleges

The matter of 20 private medical colleges banned for admission and the steps taken in this regard was brought under discussion. Officials from PMDC briefed that the council does not register the colleges who fail to meet the inspection criteria but this does not apply to students enrolled previously.

It was informed that officials from the council themselves visit all the concerned colleges and registration is granted to those fulfilling the criteria. The committee members observed that those students who despite being warned otherwise seek admission in such colleges should not be later used as human shields in court cases.

Minister for National Health services said that all stakeholders must come together and find out a solution of the matter. She said that reforms including revised evaluation and inspection forms for private medical college standards are under process and will soon be sent to all colleges. The chair directed that policies should be revisited and the committee be kept updated.

HOTA

The committee was also briefed about the appointment of In-charge HOTA. The officials informed that the position is currently vacant as the previously appointed in-charge had resigned due to his inability to prove himself innocent against the allegations against him.

The post has been re-advertised in July but only five applications were received. All the five applicants do not fulfill the required criteria. The chairman said that the post be re-advertised or other appropriate measures be taken.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2017.