12 May 2004	Wednesday	21 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

LAHORE, May 11: The College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) has reportedly agreed in principle to withdraw its letters issued to the King Edward Medical College and Fatima Jinnah Medical College principals and faculty members on the issue of accreditation.

The CPSP also agreed to review the KEMC and FJMC academic councils' demands regarding the holding of postgraduate examinations by professors only, a minimum of four postgraduate trainees for the recognition of a supervisor and reduction in fees.

The commitments were made by CPSP officials led by their president Dr Sultan Farooqi in a meeting with Punjab health department officials chaired by health minister Dr Tahir Ali Javed here on Tuesday.

The CPSP delegation included regional director Prof Dr Zafarullah Chaudhry, councillor Prof Dr Rashid Latif and Prof Dr Farrukh Zaman. The health department was represented by health secretary Suhail Ahmad, KEMC principal Prof Dr Mumtaz Hasan, FJMC principal Prof Dr Akbar Chaudhry and KEMC gynaecology department head Prof Ahmad Waseem Yousaf.

Sources told Dawn that the CPSP had decided to constitute a committee to review the issues and do the needful. According to a handout issued by the health department, the CPSP delegation assured the minister that the college administration would solve the problems/demands presented by the FJMC and KEMC academic councils.

The CPSP delegation said a meeting would be called within next few days that would review all matters, including the existing fee structure. A health department spokesman quoted the CPSP delegation as saying that only those teachers would be appointed as supervisors in postgraduate examinations who would be duly recommended by the respective colleges' principals.

The KEMC and FJMC principals reportedly contested the CPSP claims regarding the withdrawal of accreditation and fee structure. They said the postgraduate examinations in England were cheaper than Pakistan. "Female students have to sell their gold jewellery to continue their FCPS-II studies," they claimed.

Speaking on the occasion, health minister Dr Javed said the government would protect the interests of medical students and no institution would be allowed to enhance fee structure arbitrarily.

He said the Punjab government had already increased the FCPS-II trainees' stipend from Rs6,000 to Rs10,000. He said the government was also taking steps to improve the service structure of doctors. He called upon the CPSP officials to review the fee structure and make it affordable for trainee doctors.