ISLAMABAD: The Sub-Committee of Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services on Friday restrained private medical colleges from charging next year’s fee as it found the fee charged by them unjustifiably high.

The committee also criticised the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) for being unable to follow rules as the law empowers the council to stop colleges from over charging fee. It alleged that council was also part of this unholy alliance.

On the other hand, both the health ministry and PMDC admitted that the medical colleges were charging exorbitant fees but failed to explain why they did not take any action against them.

The committee meeting was chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan. It was convened to discuss the hefty fees charged by the medical colleges and the steps taken by the PMDC in that regard.

Committee criticises PMDC for failing to follow rules

Senator Palwasha Khan revealed that in 2023-24, private medical colleges charged unprecedented fees for MBBS and BDS programmes.

“For instance, ABWA Medical College, Akhtar Saeed Medical College, Hazrat Bari Sarkar Medical College used to charge Rs18.7 million, Rs13.4 million and Rs12.9 million respectively for whole MBBS programme. It is unjustifiable that the fees of these medical colleges have skyrocketed from Rs800,000 per year in 2018 to Rs3 million in 2023-24,” she said.

She lamented the PMDC stating that it had failed to regulate the private medical colleges and unfortunately became part of this unholy alliance.

Registrar PMDC Dr Shaista Faisal highlighted that under the 2023 Act, PMDC was empowered to regulate the private medical colleges and ascertain whether or not the fees being charged by the medical colleges were justifiable.

“Earlier PMDC had regulated the medical colleges but it was not protected by the law. In 2012, PMDC had fixed the fee at Rs500,000 per annum with 5pc increase for private medical colleges,” she said.

Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan said that PMDC was empowered in 2023 and asked whether PMDC had taken any action after that specific period. However, PMDC failed to provide any details.

Special Secretary Ministry of Health Mirza Nasiruddin Mashud informed the meeting that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has also constituted a committee to determine the justification for fees charged by the medical colleges.

Senator Palwasha invited general public to submit their grievances against the medical colleges before the committee and asured them that their names would be kept secret. She maintained that the hefty fees charged by the private medical colleges should be reimbursed to the parents of these young students.

The sub-committee restrained the private medical colleges from charging next year’s fee until the resolution of the matter. The sub-committee also directed the PMDC to examine the audit report of these medical colleges.

“Aggrieved parties can submit their grievances by reaching out to Room No. 2, Parking Area, C-Block, Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications, G-5 Islamabad, or by calling 051-9223955,” senator Palwasha said.

She said that the committee will also summon the former Secretary Health Iftikhar Shalwani as fees were increased during his tenure. She said that the committee will write a letter to the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif informing him about the issue.

She also asked PMDC that why it did not suspend the registration of the medical colleges over increase in fees.

Senators Syed Masroor Ahsan, Dr. Muhammad Humayun Mohmand, Special Secretary for NHS Mirza Nasiruddin Mashud, Registrar PMDC Dr Shaista Faisal and other senior officials from relevant Departments attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2024