May 05, 2008	Monday	Rabi-us-Sani 28, 1429

LAHORE, May 4: The Pakis-tan Medical and Dental Council has been contemplating recognition of MBBS degree of India, but it will give practical shape to the plan subject to a reciprocal step by the Indian Medical Council.

According to an official, the PMDC has received a request from a medical association of Aligarh regarding recognition of the MBBS degree of India and it is deliberating on the proposition.

He said the council had decided that the case should be processed through the Indian government and the Indian Medical Council.

Besides, the PMDC should also proactively take an initiative to enter into a scheme of ‘reciprocity’ with other South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) countries’ regulatory bodies.

PMDC Secretary Dr Nadeem Akbar told Dawn that the council had been primarily exploring the possibilities of such arrangements at the Saarc level. He said a meeting of the medical councils of Saarc countries would be held in October in Nepal to discuss the modalities in this regard.

“It will be better if the recognition of the MBBS degrees is not limited to India,” he said. Welcoming the initiative, a senior doctor said a number of Pakistanis worked in the UN agencies and embassies in Saarc countries, especially India, and their spouses (who are medical professionals) could not practice medicine because of non-recognition of degrees. Same was the case with the spouses (medical professionals) of those working here, he added.

“If the proposal of recognition of MBBS degrees is implemented on a reciprocal basis, it will benefit the people of Saarc countries mutually,” he said.

Pakistan Medical Association Secretary Dr Haq Nawaz said the step could provide an opportunity to patients, especially those suffering from cardiac problems, to benefit from the expertise of Indian doctors.