Medical students continue protest against licensing examination

LAHORE: The police used water cannon to disperse doctors protesting against National Licensing Exam (NLE) (step 1 examination) being conducted by Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) outside NLE centre, Sapphire Hall near Barkat Market here on Sunday.

The doctors alleged that the police had beaten doctors and sprayed mustard gas chemical to disperse them.

"Dozens of doctors were baton-charged and attacked with chemical and water cannon who were now under treatment in emergency wards of Lahore General Hospital, Jinnah Hospital, Services Hospital, Shaikh Zayed Hospital and Mayo Hospital," the protesting doctors informed the media.

Earlier, house officers and medical students from public and private hospitals were holding protest demonstration against NLE examination outside the NLE centre which they termed illegal. As the government forcibly dispersed the protesting doctors, they have announced closing down outdoor wards if NLE exam was not withdrawn.

Later, a delegation of Young Doctors Association (YDA), Punjab, met Secretary, Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department (SHC&MED) and conveyed their reservations against the NLE examination.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) has said PMC had successfully conducted first NLE (Step 1) across 5 centres in Pakistan. A total of 1,593 graduates had registered for the examination, while 1,470 successfully took the NLE (Step 1) exam. Around 123 could not appear for the examination for various reasons, and will be rescheduled to take their examination in December 2021.

Out of 1,470, 1,164 were foreign medical graduates and 306 were Pakistan medical graduates. In total, 1,160 students passed the examination, out of which 903 were foreign medical graduates and 257 were Pakistan medical graduates. All qualified Pakistan medical graduates will receive their full licences with immediate effect. All qualified A-list college graduates will receive their full licences upon passing of the NLE Step 2, while B and C list college graduates will receive provisional licenses upon passing of NLE Step 2. The NLE will be held 4 times a year to provide students with the flexibility to schedule their examination.

Meanwhile, Specialised Healthcare Secretary Dr Ahmed Javed Qazi on Sunday chaired a meeting to discuss doctors’ protest against National Licensing Examination (NLE) being conducted by Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) for registration of medical practitioners. Principal Allama Medical College Prof Arif Tajammal, Special Secretary Health Muhammad Ajmal Bhatti, Additional Secretaries Dr Asif Tufail, Dr Salman Shahid and representatives of delegation of YDA led by Dr Atif Majeed Ch were present in the meeting. Secretary Dr Ahmad Javed Qazi deliberated upon the issues and demands of YDA regarding NLE of PMC. Secretary Health asked YDA to submit their demands in written to the office for onward submission to the PMC for early resolution. He assured that the department would make all-out efforts to bridge the gap between PMC and doctors over this issue. He appreciated the services of doctors rendering in health sector and said that service to mankind should be our motto and priority in all respects. Every patient is respectable for us and medical healthcare is his foremost right, he added. YDA resolved to end their protest over NLE and said that they would raise their voice in peaceful manner. They also thanked the secretary health for taking up this matter to high-ups of PMC. Later, YDA led by Dr Atif Majeed apprised the secretary of issues regarding doctors shortage, their service structure and others for improving administrative and operational affairs of the hospitals in detail upon which he assured of early resolution in this regard.