FAISALABAD: The Pakistan Medical Association, Faisalabad chapter, has refused to get registered with the Healthcare Commission and announced closing state-run and private hospitals if the commission tries to seal any clinic or hospital in the name of inspection.

The decision has been taken at a meeting held with PMA President Dr Rai Arif in the chair here the other day. Representatives of the private hospital association were also present.

PMA Secretary Dr Mohammad Irfan said that participants had criticised the PMA’s Punjab decision which favoured the registration process and urged doctors to get themselves registered with the commission.

He said it had been decided unanimously that not a single doctor of Faisalabad would get himself registered with the commission.

He said the registration with the commission was tantamount to tightening a grip on doctors that would hit treatment facilities for the poor segment of society.

Refuses to get registered with PHC

He said the commission would impose varied taxes and fee on doctors which would not be accepted.

Dr Irfan said the commission had been trying to impose rules and regulations of US hospitals and clinics on Pakistani doctors which won’t work.

He said that rules must be introduced keeping in view the ground realities and culture of Pakistan.

The commission has fixed Thursday (today) the last date for the registration without any fee. After registration, the commission will start inspection of clinics and hospitals to check their level and will take action accordingly which is unacceptable, he added.

The secretary said the meeting also opposed the Punjab government decision of privatizing hospitals and dispensaries in 10 districts of the province.

He said the government should improve the health and education sectors for the wellbeing of society instead of commercializing them.

The PMA would not tolerate the exploitation of public through commercialization of health institutes, he said.

Dr Irfan said that Dr Arif had been tasked with contacting the PMA chapters in other districts, including Chiniot, Multan, Muzaffargarh, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang, Sargodha, Mianwali, Rahim Yar Khan, and convinced them to resist the move of registration with the commission.

Owners of private hospitals had the stance that the US had been providing health insurance to its citizens, but the situation in Pakistan was entirely different as patients were poor having no means even to afford their long treatment, he said.

To meet the criteria of the commission, patients would have to spend heavy amount on various kinds of tests prior to taking even a tablet, he said.

Private hospitals and the PMA would move shoulder to shoulder against the PMA’s Punjab decision, he said.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2015

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