LAHORE: The Chief Minister Punjab Monitoring Team's head, Brigadier Babar Alauddin (retd), visited the University of Health Sciences (UHS) on Tuesday where he held meetings with vice-chancellor Prof Dr Ahsan Waheed Rathore and senior faculty members.
During the visit, he was briefed on the university’s academic, research and public health initiatives.
Brigadier Alauddin (retd) termed the Punjab government’s recent decision to centralize admissions to nursing colleges through UHS a “wise step,” noting that it would promote merit, transparency, and quality education. He disclosed that during his inspections of more than 100 hospitals over the past year, he found a consistent shortage of trained nurses. In that context, he praised UHS’s contribution to strengthening standards in nursing education.
Commenting on UHS’s adolescent health awareness programme Pyari Beti, he called it a commendable initiative for empowering young girls. “This programme deserves integration into the primary healthcare system, and I will brief the Chief Minister accordingly,” he added.
He also discussed the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT), expressing strong personal support for its continuation as a standardised entry examination. He highlighted the need for an effective and coordinated regulatory framework for monitoring private medical colleges, citing recurring complaints about their academic standards.
The vice-chancellor Prof Rathore informed the delegation that a crackdown on substandard nursing colleges was already underway. “In future, only those institutions with a minimum 200-bed teaching hospital will be accredited,” he said.
Brigadier Alauddin reiterated that healthcare remains a top priority for the Chief Minister. He noted that Punjab’s Basic Health Units (BHUs) and Rural Health Centres (RHCs) were being revitalised and outsourced to the private sector to improve service delivery. Despite serving a significant patient load from across provincial borders, Punjab’s public health system continues to deliver, he added.
Praising UHS’s distinctive role among national regulators, he said that the university’s challenges and its societal impact are unique and vital. He also acknowledged the ongoing efforts to improve the international ranking of Pakistani universities.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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