Two colleges denied recognition: 200 medical students’ ‘future at stake’

LAHORE, Nov 01, 2011: As many as 200 students are destined to see their hopes shattered with regard to their admission on merit to two public sector medical colleges just because the Punjab health department has failed to develop these institutes up to the minimum standards assigned by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, Dawn has learnt.
They will have to either leave the medical profession or pay hefty fees to private medical colleges of the country which are no less than Rs500 million for the five-year MBBS degree programme, showing apathy of the Punjab government towards the future of the students. The accommodation, transportation and other expenditures were not included in the abovementioned fees.
The PMDC had fixed Rs500,000 for a student to pay as annual fee in a private medical college last year.
A source said the PMDC had recently refused to accord recognition to two newly-established government medical colleges – Sahiwal Medical College and DG Khan Medical College – over various grounds including shortage of faculty.
The administrations of these two medical colleges had, time and again, told the authorities concerned that the objections raised by the PMDC were of minor nature and they could easily manage classes for 2011-12 session, using available infrastructure and faculty, the source said.
While the new undergraduate medical college of Postgraduate Medical Institute (PGMI) situated at 6-Birdwood Road near Jail Road could not admit medical students for session 2011-12 owing to the procedural snags despite getting a go-ahead by the PMDC for the purpose.
According to the source, the Punjab health department in a letter dated Feb 23, 2011 had granted approval to the PGMI to apply to the federal government/PMDC for an undergraduate medical college for academic session 2011-12.Later, an application was moved for the recognition of PGMI Medical College to the PMDC registrar on March 31, 2011.
The PMDC registrar then invited the PGMI principal to appear and make a presentation about the institution before the executive committee on July 19, 2011. A detailed presentation was given and subsequently a request was made for the earliest possible visit by the PMDC inspection team for issuance of NOC under section 11 of PMDC Ordinance 1962, the source said.
A comprehensive inspection was scheduled and performed by the PMDC team on Sept 9, 2011 after which the report was furnished with certain minor observations.
The PGMI perceived all observations positively and assured the council that all directions would be followed in letter and spirit.
Meanwhile, the source said, the University Health Sciences administration assured that the MBBS classes at PGMI Medical College on 6-Birdwood Road, Lahore, would be started for session 2011-12. Later a request was made for inspection to extend affiliation to the medical college under article 38 of UHS Ordinance 2002 for inclusion of the name of PGMI medical college in the prospectus of UHS for session 2011-12. A reminder was also sent on Oct 7 to the UHS in this regard.
The UHS also sent a similar request on July 4, 2011 to the Punjab health department for the notification to the effect.
Since then the health department has not completed the procedural formalities, thus depriving the students of admission.
Addressing a news conference at Lahore Press Club on Monday, the Pakistan Medical Association asked the Punjab chief minister to start MBBS classes at the PGMI Medical College without further delay.
PMA office-bearers Dr. M. Ashraf Nizami, Dr. Tanveer Anwar and others appreciated the decision of the Punjab government of setting up new public sector medical colleges in the province.
They said as the PMDC had already approved the medical college so the Punjab government should allow admission to it in the larger interest of the students.
The PMA office-bearers said there was trained faculty and laboratories at PGMI and it had fulfilled all those requirements prescribed by the PMDC in its laid-down procedure.
The government’s decision in this regard would also help overcome the shortage of doctors.
When contacted Health Secretary Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan said the department was in constant contact with the PMDC to get recognition for DG Khan and Sahiwal medical colleges. He expressed the hope that the council would recognise the two colleges in coming weeks.
About PGMI Medical College, he said, it had been decided in principle that the health department would not allow the college for admission for 2011-12 session owing to certain reasons.
The major reason for delay in admissions was that the UHS had already prepared the merit list of the students and to allow the PGMI Medical College for admission would create a lot of problems for the authorities concerned, he said.
So, Mr Jehanzeb said, the health department had directed the PGMI administration to give more attention to its postgraduate programmes this year for which the institute was especially designated.