Medical, dental colleges: NA body asks ministry, PMDC to ‘rationalise’ fees

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services and Regulations has directed the health ministry and the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to look into rationalisation of fee structure for medical and dental institutions.

The committee meeting which was held here under the chairmanship of Dr Muhammad Afzal Khan Dhandla also directed the ministry and the PMDC for looking into the prospects of an increase in seats in public sector medical institutions for encouraging students to pursue their medical studies within the country instead of going abroad, especially the Central Asian states.

The committee, while examining the details of scholarships offered by the PMDC to medical students inland and abroad, observed that the students in absence of seats in the public sector universities and a huge fee structure of private medical institutions, proceeded abroad spending a substantial amount of foreign exchange.

The chairman, quoting the tragic state of students pursuing their studies in central Asian states, said that he was privy to the state of some students who were subject to exploitation by the agents and the foreign medical institutions. He suggested rationalising the fee structure of private medical institutions in the country which were presently charging huge amounts on that account. The committee also sought a report on irregularities in current medical admissions.

The special secretary of the ministry and the registrar of the PMDC assured the committee of presenting a report in this regard in the next meeting of the committee. The registrar apprised that the PMDC had awarded 301 scholarships to students and the scheme had been discontinued on the objection of the audit department on the pretext of being out of the scope of the PMDC.

The committee, after a briefing on liver transplant in Pakistan, sought draft legislation from the ministry on SWAP law which was already in vogue in provinces. The special secretary apprised the committee that liver transplant was started at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Islamabad in 2010 with allocating Rs233 million in 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 for undertaking civil works, procurement of equipment, hiring of staff and operational expenditure. He further apprised that the one transplant operation was carried out which was not successful and was later discontinued due to the unavailability of proper infrastructure and professional human resources.

The committee pended discussion on the PSDP proposals of the ministry for its next meeting. The committee directed the ministry to prepare a proper presentation in that regard with complete information. The committee also sought details of funds allocated for Autism and Basic Health Units in Islamabad Capital Territory. The committee also expressed its displeasure on the absence of the minister and the secretary of the ministry, directing both to attend the next meeting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023