Senators hold meeting to oversee Central Admission Policy

ISLAMABAD: The National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Senate committee held a meeting at the Parliament Lodges to discuss details regarding the new draft based upon the ‘Central Admission Policy.’ The meeting was chaired under the supervision of Senator Ateeq Shaikh.

The Senate committee strongly urged the Attorney General to work towards the completion of central admission policy, for both medical and dental colleges of Pakistan.

During the meeting, a heated disagreement revealed itself, when College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) representative Major General (Retd.) Salman, informed the committee that CPSP is an autonomous constitutional institution, hence they are not answerable to the Health Ministry.

Furthermore, he added that their institution’s accreditation was globally recognized, and that Pakistan is known to be ahead of countries like India and Bangladesh in this matter. While countries like Saudi Arabia have appreciated the institution and its doctors, Dubai has shown degrees of discrimination.

Upon raising this point, the committee’s Chairman sought complete details of the matter and promised to take it up with the UAE envoy, himself.

Keeping their views upfront, the Additional Secretary of the Health Ministry complained about CPSP’s performance and how the institution does not respond well to the Ministry. Moreover, he claimed that the way of CPSP’s business is questionable, and that they haven’t been delivering as per the mandate given by the Ministry.

The Senate committee requested all the members of both official bodies to work together for the country’s betterment.

Moreover, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) submitted a report to the Senate committee on the digitization of all systems, to which the committee directed the council to share the tender with the committee before finalizing the systems.