ISLAMABAD: Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) has finally notified three council members of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) after a delay of three months.

Now public sector universities have also got representation in the council of the PMDC.

The PMDC and the ministry of NHS have bitter relations for almost two years and are fighting cases in the courts.

Both have exchanged allegations at the parliamentary standing committees. Even the executive council of the PMDC was suspended through presidential ordinance titled ‘Pakistan Medical and Dentil Council (Amendment) Ordinance 2014’ and a management committee was formed to look after the affairs of the PMDC. However, after the expiry of the ordinance, the PMDC council was restored as the ordinance could not sail through the Senate.

According to the PMDC Ordinance, the ministry of health has to endorse the decisions of the PMDC council and has to issue notifications in that regard. But Ministry of NHS stopped issuing notifications to endorse the decisions of the PMDC.

Through recent notification, as many as three persons have been nominated as council members of the PMDC.

According to the notification, available with Dawn, Vice Chancellor (VC), Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University Islamabad Dr Javed Akram, VC Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University, Larkana, Dr Ghulam Asghar Channa and Principal Bahria University Medical and Dental College Karachi retired Brigadier Dr Shaheen Moin have been nominated as members of the PMDC council.

However, in the notification it is mentioned that the decision can be revised in line with the final decision of the court.

Dr Javed Akram while talking to Dawn said he would try to play a role of a bridge between the PMDC and the Ministry of NHS.

“We should take steps for the improvement of the medical education and solve doctors’ issues instead of fighting with each other,” he said.

“Politics between the PMDC and the Ministry of NHS should end now because doctors and general public and institutions are ultimate sufferers of the tension,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2015

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