SUKKUR: The Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) has stopped the Ghulam Mohammed Mahar Medical College (GMMMC) from announcing the final list of candidates who have qualified for admission to its MBBS programme by passing the entry test held on Nov 22.

According to the schedule announced by the college, the MBBS first year classes are to commence next month.

The PMDC had asked the college administration to meet the council’s mandatory requirements regarding the standards to be maintained at any institution seeking authorisation to award the MBBS degree. Since the college had failed to satisfy the PMDC within the stipulated time, it was allowed a grace period which also expired on Dec 8 (today).

The PMDC promptly intervened in the matter and restrained the college from going ahead with its admission and teaching process.

The GMMMC was required to complete the faculty, make the essential machinery and equipment available to its enrolled students and invite a PMDC team to examine the standards and facilities on the campus.

However, such a visit could not be scheduled as vacancies of 30 faculty members, 35 medical officers and 33 other medical personnel could not be filled till date for various reasons.Sources in the college administration said it was pondering over seeking another grace period of two months to meet the PMDC requirements.

The PMDC move to stop the admission process has affected at least the top 100 students seeking admission on a merit basis. Though the college offers 100 seats to candidates from Sukkur, Ghotki and Khairpur districts, the number of students seeking admission to the GMMMC is around 2,200.

The sources said that at the Sukkur Civil Hospital to which the GMMMC is supposed to be affiliated, 15 posts of senior medical officer and 25 of medical officer (male and female) were still vacant while no recruitment for GMMMC faculty could be made so far.

The Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU) vice chancellor and GMMMC principal had assured the PMDC of fulfilling all its requirements including the mandatory visit to the campus by a team of the council by Dec 8 but they were now quoted as telling the authorities concerned and admission seekers that they would succeed in seeking another two-month grace period for the purpose.

Various departments of the college lack senior and junior teaching staff. They include anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, community medicines, pathology, forensic medicines, pharmacology, ENT and general medicines.

GMMMC Principal Dr Haresh Chand told reporters that a plea in this regard had been made by Sukkur Civil Hospital medical superintendent Dr Hazoor Bux Tunio which would be forwarded to the PMDC along with a request for the grace period.

Dr Tunio’s retirement is due in the first week of the next month.

Dr Chand said that MNA Nafeesa Shah, the daughter of Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, had also been apprised of the problems relating to the GMMMC position and she had held out the assurance that the needful would be done at the earliest.

The SMBBMU vice chancellor is currently on a visit to South Korea and most the remaining faculty members have been transferred to the Chandka Medical College Hospital or some other institution.

The PMDC had scheduled a ‘review meeting’ for Tuesday (today) at the GMMMC but it was postponed considering the college administration’s failure to meet its requirement.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2015