Islamabad - Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar on Wednesday while assuring full cooperation to National Accountability Bureau said that the ministry had no any authority to register medical and dental colleges.
Addressing a press conference, the minister said that it was totally unfortunate that the NAB’s executive board had included her name to examine the matter of registration of 12 medical and dental colleges despite the fact that the ministry had only the powers to notify any medical or dental college on the recommendation of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC). “Me and the health ministry will fully cooperate with the NAB to make it possible for the bureau to complete its inquiry into the matter as early as possible,” the minister said.
She said she had presented herself for accountability. She requested the NAB to complete its inquiry in 15 days so that people might know about actual facts. She said that the NAB press release issued on Tuesday had badly damaged her political position in her constituency and allowed her opponents to raise questions on her credibility. However, she said, “I am satisfied as I did nothing wrong being minster for health.”
She said that all required documents would be provided to the NAB. She said that strict action had been taken against those involved in sale of substandard and spurious drugs besides improving the standard of medical and dental colleges.
The minister said that the PMDC actually looked after the affairs of medical and dental colleges and was responsible to hold inspections to check standard of the existing and new medical and dental colleges.
She said that the committee which was constituted to run affairs of the PMDC on the orders of Chief Justice Supreme Court should take further steps to improve quality of medical education and closing down substandard medical and dental colleges