Press release

 

NA STANDING COMMITTEE DIRECTS HEALTH MINISTRY TO RATIONALISE THE EXISTING FEE STRUCTURE OF PRIVATE MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS 

 

Islamabad August 4, 2023: The Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination today taking serious note of the hefty fees being charged to medical students by private medical colleges, directed Ministry and the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council to take measures to make the medical education affordable. The Committee met under the chairmanship of Dr. Afzal Khan Dhandla, MNA in Parliament House, this afternoon. 

 

The Committee was of the view that medical education in private sector was getting unaffordable day by day and the regulator as well as the Ministry was just playing the role of spectators. The Committee also viewed the government should increase seats in medical institutions in public sector. The Committee said that it was really incomprehensible that PMDC was taking credit of allowing seats to private medical institutions, which were just doing business.

 

The Committee also directed Ministry of National Health Services and PMDC to call meeting of council meeting to extend the date of MDCAT exams. The Members of the Committee were of the view that the FSC students were still in process of taking their practical tests. The Committee also directed for fixing a date and the MDCAT exams should be held on that date. THE Registrar PMDC apprised that the fee structure for last two years were being acquired and the same would be rationalised. He also assured that the council meeting will be called to discuss the directions of the Committee. 

 

While discussing the Tendering process adopted to select labs by Border Health Services directed to adopt transparency. One of the Member pointed out that reportedly a firm participating in the tender process quoted lowest rates however another firm was being considered which had quoted higher rates.

 

The Committee while reviewing implementation of its previous recommendation for immediate implementation of its recommendation regarding repatriation of Registrar Pakistan Nursing Council to her parent department who had been involved in corrupt practices.

 

The meeting was attended by Members of the Committee, officials of the Ministry, PMDC and other concerned departments.