Islamabad: The Health Ministry has received a recommendation from the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) to take strict action against several colleges. The closure of these colleges was recommended by the PMDC, after a thorough evaluation of the regulatory violations and sub-standard facilities being offered at these institutions. These include; Sahiwal Medical College, Hashmat Medical & Dental College, Gujarat and Al-Razi Medical College, Peshawar. The decision for strict actions against Bacha Khan Medical College and Federal Medical & Dental College Islamabad, was also taken during a PM&DC Executive Committee meeting held recently. During the thorough evaluation of facts and inspection reports, the committee found that these colleges did not meet the regulations and minimum standards laid down by the PMDC.
The Dental Section of the Bacha Khan Medical College- Mardan was evaluated by the committee. This dental section did not meet the PMDC's criteria for recognition of colleges and was declined approval, since it lacks the required facilities. Similarly, the Federal Medical & Dental College, Islamabad was also directed to stop their admissions process, due to inadequate facilities and several deficiencies in its infrastructure and resources.
The committee also discussed the academic inadequacies shown by the medical students studying in Cuba, and it was decided that such students will be tested through the PM&DC National Examination Board Examination (NEB) before getting the permission as registered practitioners in Pakistan. The Sindh Government was also penalized with Rs. 200,000 per student, as the first two batches of Ghulam Mohammad Mehar Medical College were unlawfully inducted and trained without seeking any permission/notification from the federal government.
Professor Dr. Masood Hameed – the president of PMDC stated that; in case any medical/dental college opens without the prior permission/approval of the federal government, it will be penalised by the PM&DC.
