PMDC to introduce e-certification for licence renewals, cutting processing time

President of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), Dr Rizwan Taj, has instructed the council’s IT team to develop and implement e-certificates for license renewals and Good Standing Certificates.

This initiative is part of the council’s commitment to enhancing the efficiency and user-friendliness of its services for medical and dental practitioners.

In a statement on Thursday, Dr Taj highlighted that this move aims to modernise the PM&DC’s registration processes by introducing a fully digital system for issuing these essential documents.

By transitioning to e-certification, the PM&DC intends to significantly reduce processing time, making it faster and more convenient for practitioners to obtain their renewal licenses and Good Standing Certificates.

Previously, the processing of these certificates took several days, but the new system is expected to expedite this process substantially. Licence renewals are anticipated to be completed within 6-7 days, while Good Standing Certificates will be issued within just 1-2 days.

The enhanced digital infrastructure will also enable the PM&DC to efficiently handle up to 300-400 applications daily, improving overall operational efficiency.

Dr Taj noted that the existing manual processing system is both time-consuming and resource-intensive.

The new digital system will streamline the process from manual processing and mailing of hard copies to online application submission, electronic certificate generation, and direct electronic delivery.

This shift will also reduce printing and mailing costs, decrease paper usage, and enhance digital security measures to prevent fraud and forgery.

Since the updated portal’s launch in June 2024, the PM&DC has received 17,524 renewal cases, with 16,692 cases completed and issued. Over the past two months, nearly 5,063 doctors and dentists have applied for Good Standing Certificates, with 4,891 cases issued.

Dr Taj emphasised that preparations for implementing e-certification are underway, including developing the required technological infrastructure, training staff, and aligning all processes with the new system.