Two doctors lose licences over fake autopsy reports

PMDC to introduce new ranking system with punitive and award measures


Our Correspondent April 23, 2019
Representational image. PHOTO: REUTERS

ISLAMABAD: The apex regulator of doctors and medical teaching institutions in the country on Monday cancelled the licences of two doctors and decided to launch criminal inquiries against them for allegedly preparing false post-mortem reports.

This was decided during the 194th meeting of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) on Monday.

As per a statement issued by the PMDC Spokesperson Hina Kayani, the council had reviewed the suspension cases and approved disciplinary action against 10 doctors while four others doctors were issued notices to submit their response with evidence.

The council further decided to send at least one doctor for reformative training. The council also decided to issue guidance notices to ten hospitals regarding maladministration while these guidelines will also be issued to the provincial health commissioners for further investigation.

The hospitals were directed to implement the conduct of registration consultation.

The council also reviewed an investigation report into the issues of an Islamabad-based private medical college and decided to suspend it for failing to fulfil the evaluation standards.

The council decided to present the matter before a high court which is hearing a case related to it. Students of the college will be adjusted in other colleges as per law.

The council also approved the structure of a new analytical standard in medical and dental colleges which includes the review of periodical performance as well as their ratings. All relevant information would be made public so that students can decide as per their priorities.

Colleges who rank lower will be given a grace period of two years to improve their performance and improve their rankings.

However, if colleges fail to improve their standards, they will face punitive actions such as suspension of admissions in the first phase and then non-approval of admission in the second phase.

The council decided that the rating and performance of public colleges will also be reviewed so that the provincial governments and universities could be held accountable for their failure to improve facilities.

Those colleges who show good performance will be rewarded with incentives such as greater seats to enrol students in.

The standards will be determined through an online reporting system to avoid any interference or pressure. The methods and criteria for inspecting colleges and ranking them will be approved over the next two weeks so that the council can wind up all pending cases related to the inspection and performance of colleges.

Moreover, colleges will be invited to seminars and workshops by the PMDC to update them on the new guidelines for self-evaluating themselves before they are inspected by the council.

The council also considered the introduction of a national, centralized entrance examination to medical and dental programmes and measures to ensure merit in them despite the loopholes in the education system.

All such recommendations were forwarded to the related committee of the council for urgent consideration and to implement the ones which had been discussed.

Similarly, work on improving the central induction programme — introduced for the first time this year — has been started so that the forthcoming issues could be resolved.

In administrative action, the council suspended a deputy registrar, an assistant registrar, the administration director, four officers and a staff member. The action was taken after the officials were subject to inquiries and show cause notices were issued for the hearing of their cases.

The officials are accused of stealing an original file by a doctor from the offices of PMDC against whom the council directed an FIR to be lodged and to initiate disciplinary action.

The council also approved immediately advertising for the posts of the registrar, finance director and an external auditor for the council. The human resources committee was directed to devise the necessary criteria for the heads of each department and advertise these at the earliest in line with the new service rules.

The council also decided to conduct meetings and seminars with the provincial health commissioners so as to review the administration in the hospitals as well to devise a method for the swift induction of faculty with stakeholders.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23rd, 2019.

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