PMDC warns to close down college over deficient facilities

Islamabad: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council has warned to close down the University College of Medicine and Dentistry, Lahore, over deficient facilities.

The warning was issued in a show cause notice issued to the privately-owned UCMD.

A PMDC official told 'The News' that a team of the organisation carried out a comprehensive inspection of the college December 5, 2018, and was shown during a presentation that the college had three teaching hospitals, including Nawaz Sharif Social Security Hospital, University Teaching Hospital and Al-Khidmat Teaching Hospital.

He said during a discussionwith the college authorities, the inspectors produced a new memorandum of understanding with NSSTH/PESSI showing the signatures of the NSSTH medical superintendent and other members on a stamp paper with thumb impressions.

"When the team visited the NSSTH medical superintendent's office, it asked the MS about the MoU, who claimed that the document was forged and he did not sign it. He also gave that statement in writing," he said. The official also quoted as telling the inspectors that the old MoU has expired and therefore, the PMDC should not visit the institution.

He said the inpsectors unanimously declared that the visit of NSSTH/PESSI couldn't be carried out completely as the MS didn't allow them to visit the hospital in a peaceful manner and that the inspection of all hospital premises was considered to be null and void due to the expiry of MoU and the refusal of the authorities to extend the MoU.

The inspection team added that excluding NSTTH/PESSO, the USMD had 45 beds as claimed, which was insufficient to train 150 students.

It also observed that the University Teaching Hospital and Al-Khidmat Teaching Hospital had poor bed occupancy, while the latter's facilities were of low standard. In the show cause notice, the PMDC asked the USMD to submit comments on the inspectors' findings suggesting why strict action including withdrawal of recognition may not be initiated against it.

The college was asked to respond to the notice without delay failing which, the PMDC warned, the case will be placed before the competent authority for an appropriate order in light of the available records.