LAHORE: Provincial Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Khawaja Imran Nazir has said that the University of Health Sciences (UHS) has a key role in improving the quality of medical and nursing education in Punjab.

During his visit to the Jinnah Campus of the UHS on Wednesday, he emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards in medical education. Expressing concern over the trend of sending students to sub-standard medical colleges abroad, Khawaja Imran asserted the need for upholding meritocracy in the selection process.

The UHS vice-chancellor, Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore, Pro VC, Prof. Nadia Naseem, CEO PHFMC, Dr. Asim Altaf and others were present on the occasion.

The minister also addressed the faculty members, highlighting the pressing issue of doctors' unemployment and the potential for exporting health professionals to generate foreign exchange. He also took a serious note of a government committee's inaction regarding the training of the UHS students in the attached hospitals and called a report from the health department. He designated the CEO Health Sheikhupura as the focal person to ensure structured training for UHS allied health sciences program students in these hospitals.

Additionally, he announced plans to upgrade the medical facilities, surgical wards, dental units, and infrastructure of DHQ Hospital Sheikhupura and THQ Hospital Muridke in collaboration with UHS, aiming to establish them as centers of excellence.

Earlier, UHS vice-chancellor, Professor Ahsan Waheed Rathore, briefed Minister on the university's mandate, functions, and facilities, highlighting the introduction of a new modular curriculum for MBBS and upgrades to other programs in alignment with international standards.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024