ISLAMABAD: The federal government has withdrawn recognition of Bahawalpur Medical College and referred its case to the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission to take action against the officials involved in facilitating registration, official sources told Business Recorder.
The committee headed by Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to review current annual fees of private medical colleges along with the legal framework.
The National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Division informed the Cabinet that Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) Act, 2022 (Act No IY of 2023) was promulgated on January 16, 2023 to consolidate the law relating to registration of medical practitioners and dentists and to establish a uniform standard of basic and higher qualifications in medicine and dentistry through Medical and Dental Council in Pakistan.
The Cabinet was informed that the Lahore High Court, Lahore in WP No 10711/2024 titled, “Shanzay Arshia and others” in its order of January 17, 2024 directed the PM&DC to inspect Bahawalpur Medical College, Bahawalpur. The PM&DC conducted inspection of the college on January 24, 2024 and as per inspection report the college could not qualify on the PM&DC standards/criteria.
The division further informed that subsequently the matter was placed before the Council in its meeting held on February 23, 2024, wherein, the Council authorised the president PM&DC to take necessary measures in light of PM&DC inspection, including formation of a committee for adjustment of students.
Accordingly, the Council after providing opportunity of hearing/explanation to the College authorities, perusing complete record of the case including orders of the Lahore High Court, approved the scheme for adjustment of the students in its meeting held on April 15, 2024 and May 31, 2024 and recommended for withdrawal of recognition of the college as stipulated under Section 33 of the PM&DC Act 2022, which reads as follows;(i) if a recognized institution is violating provisions of this Act and riles and regulations made thereunder or the facilities for training for the courses of study or standard of examination in the institution… has deteriorated … the Council may step further intake of students ….;(ii) if the Council is not satisfied with the explanation then it shall make a recommendation to the federal government through Minister-in-Charge for closure of the institution to which shall include a scheme for adjustment of students in other recognised institutions of the corresponding public and private sector, as the case may be; and (iii) on the recommendations of the Council, the federal government through Minister-in-Charge may, by notification in the official Gazette, direct that an entry shall be made in the first, second, third, fourth or fifth schedule, as the case may be, against the said medical or dental or a postgraduate institution and qualification granted by it, hospital or continuous professional development opportunity provide declaring that it shall be a recognized medical, dental or additional medical or dental qualification, institution, hospital and continuous professional development opportunity provider only before the date of notification.
During the discussion that followed, the Cabinet observed that the matter of the prima facie fraudulent recognition of Bahawalpur Medical College, Bahawalpur, despite deficiencies in meeting the requisite criteria for accreditation and the permission to continue imparting medical education despite not meeting the required PM&DC standards, must be thoroughly investigated. It was further desired that all persons, including private sector stakeholders, who may have influenced decision-making and the functionaries of the PM&DC involved in the prima facie fraud and misconduct must be identified. The Cabinet decided to refer the matter to the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission to conduct the inquiry and submit its report to the Cabinet within one month. The Cabinet also directed to review the current regulatory and monitoring regime of the medical education and raining institutions in the public and private sectors.
After threadbare discussion, the Cabinet approved the proposal of Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination titled “withdrawal of recognition of Bahawalpur Medical College, Bahawalpur.
The Cabinet further directed that the following Terms of Reference shall be added to the existing Terms of Reference of the Committee on Medical Education constituted under the convernership of the Deputy Prime Minister, on orders of the Prime Minister;(i) review the current regulatory and monitoring regime of the medical education and training institutions in the public and private sector to ensure quality of medical education and prevention of fake institutions; (ii) review the current annual fees of private medical colleges along with the legal framework that regulates these fees to prevent exorbitance and exploitation of students;(iii) review the performance of the PM&DC as a regulator of medical education and training institutions;(iv) suggest measures to improve and strengthen PM&DC as a regulator for ensuring quality medical education and training as well as a fair fee structure for students, especially in the case of private sector institutions.
For this purpose, the committee will be given an additional two weeks to complete its work. The Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination shall notify these amendments accordingly.
The Cabinet further directed the cabinet secretary to refer the case of Bahawalpur Medical College, Bahawalpur to the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission for a thorough enquiry and report, to be submitted to the Cabinet within one month.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
Comments
Comments are closed.