PESHAWAR, Oct 22: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has said that the MMA government is according top priority to medical education, adding that a bill aimed at upgrading the Khyber Medical College to the level of a university would be presented for cabinet’s approval.

Speaking as a chief guest at the convocation of the Khyber Medical College (KMC) here on Wednesday, he said that efforts were also afoot to establish a separate medical college for women. He said that some of the girls found it hard to study in the prevalent co-education system due to local culture and the establishment of a separate college would benefit them.

The government, he said, had already allocated Rs20 million for KMC’s upgradation, which would enable students to receive postgraduate education and research degrees without having to proceed abroad.

Mr Durrani announced a grant of Rs one million for basic sciences department of the KMC to speed up research activities. He also announced giving a bus and a coach to the college, in addition to Rs5 lakhs for the welfare of the non-teaching staff.

The chief minister exhorted the graduating students to rise to the demands of their noble profession by serving the masses with devotion and honesty.

Some of the doctors, he said, were more interested in minting money from the patients than curing them, which was against the medical ethics.

He also issued instructions for the expansion of women’s hostel.

The government, he said, had started upgradation of the DHQ hospitals in 14 districts of the province with a view to providing healthcare facilities to the people in their respective areas and lessen the burden on the tertiary-care hospitals.

The KMC, he said, had set standards for itself over a period of five decades and the government would take every possible initiative to further enhance its reputation.

Earlier, KMC principal Prof Dr Ziaul Islam gave an overview of the college and described its achievements and problems.

He said the students, besides academic activities, were also actively involved in the welfare work.

He expressed concern that two elected prime ministers in the past had announced KMC’s upgradation to the level of a university, but it was yet to become a university. He also referred to the Federal Education Policy, which had a provision that the NWFP, Punjab and Sindh should have one medical university.

He said Punjab and Sindh had already got medical universities, while the NWFP lagged behind. However, he was appreciative of the MMA-led government for its announcement and allocation of money for the project.

Peshawar University’s vice-chancellor Professor Zulfiqar Hussain Gilani congratulated the new graduates and urged them to take care of their oath of serving the ailing humanity.

The chief minister awarded degrees to the graduates of the year 2001.