Doctors with invalid certificates asked to register in a month

Islamabad : The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has taken strong notice of the doctors having invalid registration in the country and decided to ensure the countrywide renewal and registration process of doctors within a month.

The development comes on the directions of the Senate’s panel on national health services and regulations.

Acting PMDC registrar Dr Sitara Hassan told 'The News' that all doctors with invalid registrations had been told to renew registrations immediately to practice medicine.

She said the Pakistan Registration of Medical and Dental Practitioners Regulations, 2008, (XXIV), declared that practitioner meant a medical practitioner or a dentist possessing any recognized medical or dental qualification whose name was maintained on the register of the council.

"Under Part II of Regulation (9), only those names shall be retained on the register who have paid the dues of the Council and only these names shall be considered to have a valid registration," she said.

The registrar said medical and dental practitioners, specialists, and faculty with expired and invalid registration and medical officers were directed in their own interest to get their PMDC registration renewed as per PM&DC Ordinance 1962 amended through an Act 2012 within a month.

She warned that those failing to do would face strict action under the PMDC Ordinance 1962.

"No person, other than a registered medical or dental practitioner can practice medicine or dentistry. Any person who acts in contravention of the PMDC ordinance will be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years but will not be less than six months or with fine which may extend to two hundred thousand rupees but will not be less than one hundred thousand rupees or with both," she said.

The registrar said no medical certificate or prescription or advice would be considered valid unless obtained from a medical or dental practitioner having valid registration.

She added that the details of doctors with invalid registrations status were also available on the PMDC website.