ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services on Wednesday, by majority votes, rejected proposed amendments in the “Pakistan Medical and Dental Council Bill, 2022”, stating that the bill cannot be amended once it is passed by the Committee and further amendments can only be done by the House.

The committee meeting was held here under the chairmanship of Senator Dr Muhammad Humayun Mohmand to deliberate on the bill, “Pakistan Medical and Dental Council Bill, 2022” and the bill titled, “Prime University of Nursing Sciences Technology Islamabad, 2022”.

Moreover, consideration of the bill titled, “Prime University of Nursing Sciences Technology Islamabad, 2022” was deferred till the next meeting owing to the absence of the HEC officials.

In addition to that, the Senate committee deliberated on the bill titled, “Pakistan Pharmacy (Amendment) Bill, 2022” in detail. The Ministry of National Health Services secretary, while briefing the panel said that a committee consisting of pharmaceutical stakeholders and experts has been formed to review the bill and it will also be presented before the Pharmacy Council of Pakistan for consideration in October 2022. The committee recommended the ministry to present their stance on the bill in the next meeting.

The committee also discussed the issues confronting Pharmacy Technician Institutes regarding the conduct of student’s exams and registration in the Pharmacy Council. Officials of Pharmacy Technician Institutes appreciated the efforts of the ministry in conducting the exams of 40,000 students and demanded that a schedule for the whole calendar year shall be drafted. Senator Humayun Mohmand advised the ministry to extend cooperation to the institutes for the said purpose.

While deliberating on the issues faced by foreign medical graduates, Senator Mohmand stated that the PMC should help students in getting house jobs who have passed the NLE exams. Representative of foreign medical graduates apprised the committee that under the PMC Act, NEB was licensing exam but after the passage of the PMDC Act, the NEB has been replaced by the NLE and students who passed the NEB exam have been asked to pass the NLE exam.

The committee recommended the Pakistan Medical Council to address the issues of graduates of foreign institutions and stressed role of the PMC is of facilitation, and the PMC should not create hurdles.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022