A healthy day: Sindh Assembly passes five bills to regulate medical education, healthcare

Opposition leaders irked by inclusion of 'selective' institutes in the list of recognised institutions

KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly had a productive day on Wednesday. The lawmakers managed to pass five 'important' bills relating to medical education and the health delivery system during the day's proceedings before speaker Agha Siraj Durrani prorogued the session for an indefinite time. 

The bills that were unanimously passed included The Postgraduate College of Medical Sciences Sindh Bill, the Sindh Allopathic System (Prevention of Misuse) Bill, the Sindh Physiotherapy Council Bill, Sindh Pharmacy Council Bill and Sindh Nursing Council Bill.

The latter will regulate the practice of nurses, midwives and health visitors in the province. The laws were legislated in view of the 18 Amendment as the health subject has now been devolved to the provinces.

Sindh Physiotherapy Council

The Sindh Physiotherapy Council bill aims at registering the physiotherapists and regulates the physiotherapy profession, education and institutions in the province. Its members will include two MPAs, the health secretary, an orthopaedic surgeon, four persons from the civil society, a vice-chancellor of a public university and all principals of physiotherapy institutions in the province.

Members of the opposition were, however, unhappy with this particular bill. Of the six schedules mentioned in the bill, only two were available for the MPAs to look over. In the first schedule, the bill only recognised the Ziauddin College of Physiotherapy and the Ziauddin University, Karachi, as physiotherapy training centre. Both are owned and run by Dr Asim Hussain, a close aide of former president Asif Ali Zardari. This irked the opposition members. "Why have you not mentioned other hospitals?" questioned opposition leader Shaharyar Mahar. The law and parliamentary affairs minister asked him to move an amendment to add other reputable hospitals to the bill. Mahar named the Liaquat National Hospital and Aga Khan University Hospital to be included to the list.

Earlier, MQM's Syed Sardar Ahmed had requested to defer the bill, terming it an incomplete law as it did not have the remaining four schedules but his plea was turned down. The minister said they will move an amendment in the next session.

Postgraduate college of medical science

The postgraduate college of medical science will maintain high standards of medical professionals, promote specialists, medical practices and arrange postgraduate medical trainings. The Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) will provide three acres for the construction of the college. "The DUHS hospital will be the affiliated hospital for this college," says the law. The college will conduct examinations to grant degrees and diplomas of specialist disciplines of medicine and surgery. "All fellows with major qualifications once approved by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council or the (proposed) Sindh Medical and Dental Council will qualify to become fellows of this college," the law states.

Sindh Nursing Council

The Sindh Nursing Council will regulate matters relating to nurses, midwives and health visitors in the province.  The lawmakers lauded the bill, saying that the council will hopefully address the issue of shortage of nurses in the province by conferring, granting or issuing diplomas, licences, certificates in the fields of nursing and midwifery. The law says that any institution or authority which conducts exams or any course of study or training in nursing, midwifery, health visiting, public health nursing, auxiliary nursing or nursing aide may apply to the council for recognition. "No hospital, asylum or dispensary will employ any person as a nurse, midwife or health visitor unless they are registered with the council," the law decrees.

Pharmacy council

The assembly also passed a law to set up the Sindh Pharmacy Council that will regulate the practice of pharmacy in the province.  According to this law, the council will run its affairs through its members who will include the health secretary, the health director general, a dean of pharmacy from a private university, four persons to be nominated by the government, the chairperson Sindh Higher Education Commission or his nominee, two professors of pharmacy from public universities, two registered pharmacists nominated by the government and the chief drug inspector of Sindh.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 20^th, 2014.