LAHORE, Dec 8: The University of Health Sciences has failed to take any action on Punjab chief minister’s directive with regard to the affiliation case of Islamabad Medical and Dental College.

In the wake of an inordinate delay on the part of UHS despite its affiliation committee’s recommendation that the college should be affiliated for one year, the CM issued a directive to UHS vice-chancellor Prof Dr Malik Husain Mubashir on Nov 22 to decide the matter on merit within seven days positively.

However, the university has seemingly not paid heed to the CM’s directive so far.

When contacted, Prof Mubashir said the university had started the procedure for deciding the IMDC affiliation case according to CM’s directive. Saying that he could decide the case himself, he added that the final decision would be taken by the syndicate according to the rules and regulations.

When contacted on Sunday, UHS affiliation committee secretary Dr Asad Zaheer said the committee was scheduled to hold a meeting on Tuesday (tomorrow), but it had not yet received anything about the IMDC affiliation case from the syndicate. “The committee will do its routine work of discussing different private medical colleges’ requests for affiliation.”

It may be mentioned that the syndicate had twice referred the IMDC case back to the affiliation committee stating that the committee should rectify its observations and submit a fresh report to the syndicate.

As the UHS had been delaying the case, it was learnt, the IMDC students were highly upset and were waiting for a decision with their fingers crossed.

The UHS affiliation committee, headed by Allama Iqbal Medical College Principal Prof Dr Syed Sibtul Hasnain, had inspected the college on Aug 30. It discussed its inspection findings and the answers received from the college on minor observations on Sept 24.

Consequently, the committee stated that the members were of considered opinion that the IMDC had the essential infrastructure to impart medical education. It recommended to the university that IMDC might be granted affiliation for one year only to teach MBBS and BDS first professional classes for the year 2003-04.

However, the UHS syndicate, presided over by Prof Mubashir, deferred the IMDC affiliation case twice with the observation that the affiliation committee should get its observations rectified and submit a fresh report.

At its second meeting on Nov 19, the syndicate stated that the IMDC affiliation case was referred back to the affiliation committee, which had not submitted its fresh report to the syndicate.

On the other hand, the IMDC officials said they had fulfilled all requirements and the affiliation committee had accordingly recommended that the college might be granted affiliation. They said the delay was on the part of the university as the college had not been approached again for any further inquiries.

It may be mentioned that the UHS Ordinance 2002 requires the syndicate to consider affiliation committee’s recommendations and dispose of the applications by granting or refusing affiliation. However, in case of refusal, the syndicate is bound to give the medical institution an opportunity to make a representation against the proposed decision.

Sources in the university claimed that in the IMDC case, the syndicate had not made any objection but still referred the case back to the affiliation committee, unnecessarily, for rectification of some observations. They said the syndicate was not supposed to consider affiliation committee’s observations other than the main recommendation.