KARACHI, Jan 7: The Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi, will not be entrusted with the task of conducting entrance tests for medical colleges in the province, provincial minister for health, Ahsan Ahmed, said.

“In the wake of their erroneous approach and inability on several occasions to handle the sensitive issue amicably, the health department has decided not to acquire their services any more as the confidence of students and parents has wavered over their abilities,” he said while talking to newsmen at his office here on Monday.

According to him, the health department for the last many years had been planning several options for smooth conduct of the entrance tests and before the commencement of next tests, he said, the issue would be finalized to the satisfaction of every person.

He hinted at the possibility that following granting status of a university to the Liaquat Medical College, it may be assigned the task on an experimental basis to evaluate its performance.

Responding to a query about committing suicide by a final- year girl student of the People’s Medical College, Nawabshah, the minister said he would proceed to the college within a couple of days to have a first hand information about the tragedy.

The minister, however, conceded that the People’s Medical College and the Chandka Medical College, had been facing shortage of faculty members, which was adversely affecting educational activities of the students.

In the context of a tussle between him and the DCO, Sukkur, over transfer of the Medical Superintendent of the Civil Hospital, Sukkur, the minister maintained that the official, by taking recourse to arbitrary and imprudent approach, had transgressed into his official engagements.

“Following his intervention into my ministry’s affairs, I wrote letters to the Sindh Governor, Chief Secretary and Corps Commander as a mark of protest to apprise them about the factual position.”

Responding to another query about demand of the city Nazim to hand over control of seven major city hospitals to the new city government, the minister informed that he had clearly told the Nazim to forward a summary to the governor in this regard.

MEDICAL FACILITIES: The availability and sufficiency of existing medical facilities in the public and private sector hospitals in the province, in case of an emergency, were reviewed at a high-level meeting held under the chairmanship of provincial health minister, Ahsan Ahmed, on Monday.