KARACHI, Jan 19: More than 200 complaints, made against different doctors in recent years, remain pending with the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), allowing many suspected doctors to continue examining patients.

This was revealed by Dr Aziz Khan Tank, a senior physician, on Monday. Talking to Dawn after a meeting at the PMA House, he said in the absence of accountability it was impossible to improve professional standards among the doctors.

He was of the view that the PMDC should be restructured as soon as possible. "PMDC has failed to control the standard of medical education, that's why we feel that it should be restructured," he said.

Answering a question, Dr Tank said the PMDC should have presence in the provincial capitals as well. Earlier, office-bearers of the Karachi chapter of the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), at a press briefing, claimed that their association had never favoured the doctors who were negligent towards their patients.

They said the PMA lacked punitive powers. "We are a professional body, not a policing agency. Yet we have never avoided suggesting actions against the doctors who were at fault."

A senior member of the association said dozens of complaints had been dealt with by the PMA over the years. "And I am happy to tell you that in 70 per cent of the cases, we suggested that steps be taken against the erring doctors," Dr Habibur Rehman Soomro told journalists.

Dr Haseeb Alam, the association's president, Dr Amin Gadit, its vice-president, Dr SM Qaisar Sajjad, its secretary-general, and Dr S Furqan Zafar, its Joint Secretary, told reporters that the people who had reasons to lodge complaints against the doctors must do so in the prescribed manner with the PMA. They pledged that no doctor would be spared provided complaints were lodged in a proper manner.

Other issues discussed during the meeting included: promotion of tobacco on the media; rising suicide rates; mental health; prevention of diseases; sale of spurious drugs; and, the link between poverty and illnesses.

Meanwhile, the PMA, Karachi, has embarked upon an elaborate programme to create public awareness regarding rampant pollution and generally preventable diseases reported in the city, besides refresher courses for General Medical Practitioners, adds APP.

The newly-elected office-bearers of the association, in a press briefing at PMA House, on Monday, said that besides series of seminars aimed at sensitizing masses regarding the threat of smoking, air pollution, contaminated water, stale food and edibles being sold uncovered on roadsides, severe consequences of pan chewing, consumption of betel nuts, sweetened pan masala and tobacco, efforts would also be made to motivate the people against the above mentioned menaces.

"In nut shell the message would be told that prevention is better than cure," commented ENT Surgeon Dr Qaiser Sajjad and general secretary, PMA-Karachi, mentioning that 70 per cent of all commonly witnessed diseases were preventable.

Dr Sajjad also reaffirmed PMA commitment to combat the existence of quacks and address the alarming trend of indiscriminate publicity of unregistered drugs through print and electronic media.

PMA-Karachi President, Dr Haseeb Alam on the occasion referred to growing incidence of violence against girls and surge in the incidence of suicide in the country and attributed the same to growing economic pressures on people.

It was maintained that PMA, realizing its responsibility, has decided to initiate a series of 24 sessions for GMPs to play a definite role in modifying public attitude, besides providing them necessary and appropriate psychological and medical assistance.

According to Prof Amin A Gadet, Vice-President, PMA-Karachi, and a senior psychiatrist, noted that while 6 per cent of the total population was registered to be suffering from mental ailments, there happened to be no more that 70 to 80 qualified psychiatrists, suggesting it would be appropriate that general practitioners were involved in the support programme for psychologically ill patients.

The training sessions would help develop an efficient linkage between psychologists and patients, requiring their support, he added, mentioning that this was also all the more important, as psychiatry and mental health were not appropriately included in undergraduate-level medical curriculum, nor there was provision for proper exposure of fresh graduates, undergoing their house jobs.

In this regard, Dr Shershah Syed, Central General-Secretary, PMA, informed journalists of shortage of teachers in varied disciplines at medical colleges scattered across the country.

He stressed need for concerted efforts to improve the quality and standard of educations at these institutions and a more efficient role of PMDC in this context.

The office bearers present on the occasion included Joint Secretary, Dr Furqan Zafar, Sports Secretary, Dr Najam, Dr Mirza Ali Azhar, Editor, PMA Magazine and Dr Amir Raza, PMA Librarian.