PMDC chief admits no role in expulsion of four members

MNAs concerned over poor standard of medical education

ISLAMABAD: The chairman of the apex body to regulate medical education in the country on Thursday admitted before a parliamentary panel that he had no role in the expulsion of four members in the council.

This was stated by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) Chairman Dr Tariq Bhatta as he appeared before the National Assembly  (NA) Standing Committee on National Health Services Regulations and Coordination on Thursday.

During the meeting, lawmakers observed that many private medical and dental colleges had failed to maintain the standard of education in the country. The standing committee meeting, chaired by MNA Khalid Hussain Magsi, observed that the PMDC should take strict action against all such medical colleges to improve the quality of medical education.

They said that many medical colleges lack required facilities but they were functioning without having any regular check and monitoring from the authority concerned.

MNA Nisar Cheema said that there was a need to observe the fee structure of popular private medical colleges and urged that they should not be given a free hand to mislead the students by collecting heavy fees.

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The PMDC president assured the committee that the council will try its level best to maintain the quality of medical and dental colleges. He said that during the next inspection all substandard medical colleges would be closed down.

Further, the committee suggested that passing percentage in entry tests of medical colleges should be revised to 60 per cent from 70 per cent.

The committee expressed that due to current criteria, most of students from small provinces particularly Balochistan remained deprived of admissions in medical colleges.

The Advisor to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza, arrived at the meeting, took permission from the chairman and left.

This rubbed members of the meeting the wrong way with MNA Nisar Ahmed stating, “We should also leave if the advisor cannot sit here.”

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He added that Dr Mirza should have stayed and answered their questions. At this, the committee chairman expressed that he had left after taking permission  and that the health secretary was present to answer the committee’s questions.

MNA Ramesh Lal said that all medical colleges across the country had similar fee structures except for Aga Khan Medical College. The MNA questioned why this particular college was given an exemption. Dr Bhatta replied that they did not adjust its fees due to compliance with the Supreme Court’s (SC) orders.

Moreover, the president indicated that PMDC was conducting inspections of medical colleges and some of them may shut down for not fulfilling certain criteria.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 2^nd, 2019.