PMC agrees to address concerns of all stakeholders

LAHORE:Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) has agreed for dialogue with medical professionals to address the concerns over PMC body, admission, exam policies and registration.

President Pakistan Medical Commission Dr Arshad Taqi said in a Webinar that they are ready to write a letter to all 162 medical universities and medical colleges to seek their suggestions and recommendations to initiate a dialogue to improve the health regulatory process. “We are also ready to remove their apprehensions on various issues and steps taken by the health regulator. We will take all stakeholders into confidence to regulate medical education in the country”.

The webinar titled ‘Pakistan Medical Commission; apprehensions and expectations’ was organised by Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA), a second in the series on the issue of establishment and functioning of the Pakistan Medical Commission .

The webinar was addressed by vice chancellors of medical universities, principals of medical and dental colleges and senior medical professors and professionals from all over the country such as Dr Rumina Hasan, Prof Dr Tariq Rafi, Vice Chancellor Jinnah Sindh Medical University Karachi; Prof Khalid Masood Gondal, Vice Chancellor King Edward Medical University Lahore; Prof Aamer Zaman, Vice Chancellor Fatima Jinnah Medical University Lahore; Prof Hussain Mehdi, Principal of Jinnah Medical and Dental College Karachi; Pakistan Islamic Medical Association Central President Dr Khubaib Shahid; PIMA Sindh President Dr Fasih Hashmi; Pakistan Islamic Medical Association Karachi President Prof Azeemuddin; Prof M Iqbal Khan, Vice Chancellor Shifa Tameer e Millat University Islamabad; Dean Peshawar Medical College Prof Hafeez ur Rehman, Prof hafiz Ijaz Ahmad, Ex-Dean Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute.

It was moderated by eminent surgeon Dr Abdullah Muttaqi. Earlier, Medical academicians and vice chancellors have expressed apprehensions on the various steps taken by the Pakistan Medical Commission, saying that the commission must raise its standards but before that it is necessary to improve primary and secondary medical education.

The MDCAT has such a strict policy that most dental colleges are running out of students. The commission should have included medical education representatives, but it also includes people who have nothing to do with the medical profession. In many respects, the Pakistan Medical Commission has relinquished its responsibilities to the HEC and has also given autonomy to the medical colleges.