Doctors flout PMDC directive and fail to renew licence

According to rules, expired licence will restrict a doctor from practicing, and writing a prescription

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has failed to put its own laws into effect by not taking any concrete action against some more than fifty  thousand illegally practicing doctors while only notices have been served to them.

In April of the year 2018,The current ad hoc council of PMDC issued notices in which it directed 70,509 doctors to renew their licenses within a period of month or else strict action would be taken, according to PMDC ordinance 1962.

The ordinance suggests imprisonment of six months to two years and fine of Rs.0.1- Rs.0.2 million rupees or both penalties in case of severe misconduct.

According to the rules , the expired license would restrict a doctor to practice , issue a certificate and to write a prescription unless the doctor obtains renewal. The renewal fee for MBBS and special list doctors are Rs.2,500 and Rs.3,500 respectively.

The council also decided to advertise names of those who refrained from getting their licences renewed.



Around ten thousand doctors renewed their licenses from the date of issue of the PMDC notice. Hoever some 60,707 doctors declined to do so. According to PMDC sources , between five to six thousand doctors filed an application for the renewal of their licenses in the month of November and December.

A high official of PMDC disclosed that some fifty thousand registered doctors at PMDC had not bothered to renew their licenses. According to the PMDC law, All medical practitioners have to renew their license every five years but myriad doctors have not performed this formality for twenty years or so.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13^th, 2019.