ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination on Friday took serious note of the hefty fees being charged from students by private medical colleges.

The committee directed the ministry and the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council to take measures to make the medical education affordable. The committee met under the chairmanship of MNA Dr Afzal Khan Dhandla in the Parliament House.

The committee members were of the view that medical education in private sector was becoming unaffordable and the regulator as well as the ministry was just playing the role of spectators.

The committee observed that the government should increase seats in medical institutions in the public sector, adding that it was incomprehensible that the PMDC was taking credit of allowing seats to private medical institutions, which were just doing business.

It directed the Ministry of National Health Services as well as the PMDC to call a meeting to extend the date of MDCAT exams.

Urges govt to increase seats in public-sector medical institutions

The committee members were of the view that intermediate students were still in the process of taking practical tests, therefore, called for delaying MDCAT exams for at least two weeks.

The PMDC registrar said the fee structure was being maintained for the last two yearsand that it would be rationalised, assuring the members that the council meeting would be called to discuss the directives of the committee.

While discussing the tendering process adopted to select labs by Border Health Services, the members directed the ministry to adopt transparency.

One of the member pointed out that reportedly a firm participating in the tender process quoted the lowest rates however another firm was being considered which had quoted higher rates, the committee observed.

Expressing displeasure over ignoring the instructions of the committee, Dr Zulfiqar Bhatti said the committee had directed the health ministry to cancel the deputation of Assistant Registrar Yasmin Azad of Pakistan Nursing Council and repatriate her immediately to her parent department.

However, the committee observed that instead of sending her to the parent office, the health ministry extended her deputation for another year. The meeting said the ministry should therefore immediately cancel her deputation.

The members cautioned that if the directions were not implemented, another meeting would be called on Monday. “I will file an application against the health secretary,” one of the members said.

The parliamentary body expressed its displeasure over the absence of the health minister in the meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services.

The committee also unanimously rejected the National Institute of Health (NIH) Amendment Bill.

Committee member Mukhtar Ahmed said the National Health Institute should remain an autonomous institution.

Published in Dawn, Aug 5th, 2023