Presidential ordinance: PMDC’s executive body dissolved

Seven-member committee to oversee affairs.

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government on Thursday dissolved the executive committee of the country’s premier medical regulatory body through a presidential ordinance.

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council’s (PMDC) affairs will be run by a seven-member committee which will be constituted to replace the executive committee members including its president and vice-president.

This was announced by Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination (NHSRC) Saira Afzal Tarar while addressing a press conference. Pakistan Medical and Dentil Council (Amendment) Ordinance 2014 has been promulgated by President Mamnoon Hussain.

“Misusing the freedom associated with an autonomous body, PMDC had become a state within the state. Committee members violated laws and did not follow any direction, which was not acceptable.” They defied the NHSRC Ministry and the National Assembly standing committee on health, she said.



“PMDC became ‘Private Medical and Dental Council,’ run by people who looked after their own vested interests.” They were focused on making as much money as they could through embezzlement and corruption. Even private medical colleges set up in small houses, were issued licences, she added.

Even though a presidential ordinance is not an ideal solution, it had become necessary to serve the public interest and regulate the medical and dental professions, Tarar stated.

“It was shocking to see that members of the executive committee who were in the interim set-up took permanent seats through an illegal election held in April 2013. All of them own private medical colleges. They defamed PMDC and jeopardised the future of a number of medical students.”

They were given several chances to set their house in order and were even asked to resign, she said. So far, 34 cases have been filed against PMDC in various courts across the country, she informed.

When PMDC’s executive body came to know the federal government was about to take action against them, members filed a petition to switch to the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC), she stated.

Responding to a question, Tarar replied that the names of the management committee had been sent to the prime minister. The committee comprises five doctors and one representative each from the ministries of law and finance. The federal government has nominated Prof. Ghiasuddin Butt as the committee’s chairperson.

It will conduct free and fair elections in three months, said the minister. “The Accountant General of Pakistan Revenues will be asked to determine the extent of embezzlement in PMDC.  The new committee will also decide what should be done with members of the former executive body.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 21^st, 2014.