Pakistan Medical and Dental Council is an essential regulating authority to maintain standard of medical education and practice in the country. However, its registration and renewal policy, for senior citizen and retired doctors is most unjust and cruel. There was a time, till in the late seventies, when a medical graduate was registered once and for all and no further annual renewal fee was required. Now there is not only an annual registration renewal fee but it is extracted till death of the concerned doctor. Even NADRA has exempted the senior citizens from any renewal of national identity card but the PM and DC continue to charge annual fee from retired doctors, despite the fact that they have given up practice due to old age. Doctors, like other human beings also become old and they deserve a break as well. Many aged doctors try to continue a semblance of their practice to avoid old age wasting but the ever vigilant PM and DC want them to continue to pay until they die. The government of Pakistan is requested to exempt doctors above the age of 65 years from payment of annual registration fee and their last renewal at that age should be considered valid till death.
MEHMOOD ALI,
Muzaffargarh, December 10.