Public hospitals: PMDC recognition of training sessions demanded

Doctors call for up-gradation of District Health Development Centre

RAWALPINDI: Doctors working at various public-sector hospitals of Rawalpindi have called for upgrading training programmes being conducted at the District Health Development Centre (DHDC) and ensuring their recognition by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council.

The DHDC conducts training for doctors as well as paramedical staff including lady health workers/visitors and nurses at the district level.

The doctors said they could not claim credit hours which were required for continued medical education (CME) against DHDC training sessions.

CME credit hours is a criterion set by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council whereby doctors and other medical staff have to attend certain courses at PMDC-certified institutes in order to continue practicing as a recognised health service provider.

DHDC Director Operations Dr Uzma Hayat said the facility could become a locally-recognised institute by taking few much-needed steps. She explained that the centre had the infrastructure and relevant staff but those resources were not being used to their full capacity.

Hayat said the purpose for which the centre was established had taken a backseat.

Other officials at the DHDC termed the training programmes haphazard and inadequate.

She said part of the problem had to do with absence of an information sharing system between the district and the Provincial Health Development Centre (PHDC).

“Right now, the linkage with the PHDC is very weak,” Hayat said.

District Health Officer Dr Rafique Ahmed said doctors were justified in their concern, adding that  the PMDC was right in requiring doctors to complete their credit hours.

He said the PMDC could not certify or recognise a training session if it did not meet the criterion set by the regulatory body. The officials have also suggested linking the centre with other institutions in order to upgrade its training programmes and get the PMDC recognition.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 11^th, 2015.