ISLAMABAD-Association of University Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (AUPSP) on Wednesday rejecting the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) Ordinance 2019 said that government covertly unemployed hundreds of employees on the spur of the moment.
Hundreds of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) employees who lost jobs after introduction of PMC Ordinance 2019 have set a camp outside the building demanding from government to restore the council.
In a statement issued, AUPSP said that PMC Ordinance 2019 is against the spirit of democracy, doctors, hospitals, and medical universities which is unacceptable for doctors’ community.
“Execution of the ordinance has ended jobs of hundreds of PMDC employees in all of the sudden,” it said.
The AUPSP said that under the new ordinance no doctor will be able to challenge the decision of the authority in any court but a three-member tribunal will decide the matter.
It also added that under the new ordinance, PMDC has been dissolved and the body has been given under Prime Minister’s authority taking it from doctors.
The statement issued by AUPSP said that government while neglecting the university degree holders has awarded the authority of PMDC to a private institute like CPSP.
It demanded that medical community should be taken in confidence for reforms process of PMDC.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) leader Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri while joining the camp of PMDC employees said that his party has raised this issue on every forum and dismissing a large number of employees in this way is unjust.
Meanwhile, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services (NHS) Dr. Zafar Mirza briefing on newly introduced ordinance of PMC after dissolving PMDC said that the commission is a body comprising three parts.
He said that PMDC will be a component of PMC, second part will be National Medical and Dental Academic Board (NMDAB) and third will be National Medical Authority (NMA).
He said that commission will perform three kinds of functions including policy making on medical profession, NMDBA will set the standards of medical education and look into matters of licensing in medical profession, while NMA will ensure implementation of the policies of other two components.
About conducting of medical entry test in the medical and dental colleges Dr. Mirza said that single examination will be conducted on same day at national level, but due to increased number of medical colleges in private sector, government has to ensure certain standards for the medical education.
He said that government has introduced National Licensing Examination (NLE). Dr. Mirza said that NLE will be introduced after March 2020.
He said that medical professionals now onwards have to appear in NLC after house job before starting the practice in public or private sector and get the practice license.
Dr. Mirza added that the licensing examination will be conducted twice in a year.
He added that government introduced PMC 2019 and Medical Tribunal Ordinance 2019 to reform the PMDC to meet the world standards in medical education.
“Both these ordinances will improve quality and administration in the medical education,” he said.
He said that now 168 medical colleges are established in the country including 100 colleges in private sector.
“PMDC could not make its pace with the developments around it and there were number of complaints regarding efficiency and corruption in PMDC,” he added.
Justifying dissolution of the PMDC, he said that government would be negligent if it had not introduced new system to reform the council.
He said that reason to bring the ordinance was to fill the gap after the lapse of previous ordinance introduced in January 2019.
“Government will soon bring this ordinance in the form of bill in the Parliament,” he said.