PMA concerned over govt plan to dissolve PMDC

LAHORE : The Pakistan Medical Association (Centre) has shown concern over the government’s plan to once again dissolve Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and bring back Pakistan Medical Commission and Medical Tribunal.

A emergency meeting of Central Council of Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) was held through Zoom on the issues of PMDC, COVID-19 situation in Pakistan and upcoming conferences of PMA, according to a press release issued here on Saturday.

The meeting was presided over by Dr Ikram Ahmed Tunio, president of PMA Centre and moderated by Dr SM Qaisar Sajjad, secretary general. The meeting was attended by Dr Salma Aslam Kundi, president-elect PMA Centre (Abbotabad), Dr Ashraf Nizami (Lahore), Dr Qazi M WQasiq, treasurer of PMA Centre (Karachi), Dr Amir Saleem, joint secretary (Kasur), Dr Saeed Ahmed, joint secretary PMA Centre (Quetta), Dr Sahibzada Masood–us- Syed, president PMA Punjab (Lahore), Dr Kamran Ahmed, general secretary PMA Punjab (Lahore), Dr Shahid Shaukat Malik, general secretary PMA Lahore, Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro, general secretary PMA Karachi, and Central councilors from all over the country.

The participants in the meeting expressed their reservations over the affairs of PMDC. They stated that any move against PMDC will be strictly opposed. Dr SM Qaisar Sajjad informed the meeting that PMA has written a letter to the prime minister to draw his attention towards the issue of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council. Dr Ikram Ahmed Tunio said “We have shown our concerns over the government’s plan to once again dissolve PMDC and bring back Pakistan Medical Commission and Medical Tribunal. Government is prepared to present the draft bills in the joint parliamentary session and will try to get it passed to make it a law.

Dr Ashraf Nizami and other participants reiterated that PMA and its sister organisations had declared PMC and Medical Tribunal illegal. Both have a lot of flaws and would be disastrous not only for the doctors’ fraternity but for the medical education and healthcare of the country.

The PMA rejected the controversial ordinances right from the day they were promulgated.

Participants in the meeting expressed that the government’s fresh move against PMDC is the result of direct interference of the prime minister office. They want to bring the regulatory body under their influence and control. Under PMDC Ordinance 1962, the body is empowered as autonomous and independent regulatory whereas government wants to make it weak and dependent.

The participants were of the view that after establishment of PMC the doctors who are registered by PMDC will face problems again; their member ship will be at stake. The doctors in the country and abroad will become “unregistered doctors” in the absence of PMDC. Hence, their jobs will be at risk. “Our recognition with international institutions like, International Association of Medical Regulatory Authorities (IAMRA), World Federation of Medical Education (WFME) and Directory of Organizations that recognise/accredit medical schools is through PMDC which will suffer,” they said,

The meeting demanded the prime minister let the PMDC work as an autonomous and independent body to save the future of medical education and health delivery system in Pakistan. PMA also demanded not to change the name of the regulatory body. “Thousands of our doctors working abroad will also suffer if the name of the body is changed,” the PMA said.

The meeting also expressed its concerns over the COVID-19 situation in Pakistan. According to the official information, the number of deaths and patients is decreasing, whereas, reality is that people are not going for corona tests. The meeting suggested the government increase the testing capacity to get the real picture of the situation.

The PMA secretary general informed the council that PMA has also written a letter to prime minister about the fears of coronavirus in the coming days. The cases may increase during the upcoming events of Eidul Aza, Independence Day, Muharramul Haram and Rabi–ul– Awwal. In this regard, PMA has suggested the prime minister form a uniform policy and implement it strongly throughout the country to control the spread of coronavirus. The participants in the meeting stressed upon the government to implement SOPs strictly during the upcoming religious events.

The meeting also requested the general public adopt preventive measures, keep social distance, wear mask and regularly wash/sanitise their hands.

Upcoming conferences of PMA were also discussed in the meeting. The third Pak–China Med Cong was scheduled to be held from Nov 27 to Nov 29, 2020, in Lahore.

Dr. Ashraf Nizami, president of PMA Lahore, informed the meeting that he has written a letter to Chinese Medical Association. The 34th Biennial Medical Conference of PMA Centre was scheduled to be held from Dec 18 to Dec 20 in Quetta. However, after discussion, it was decided that decision about holding the conference will be taken in September after monitoring the COVID-19 situation in the country.