ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) has constituted an 18-member National Medical and Dental Academic Board (NMDAB).

The board will look into the standard of education being followed by the undergraduate/post-graduate medical and dental institutions across the country.

President Dr Arif Alvi had on Oct 19 promulgated an ordinance dissolving the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council and establishing the PMC.

According to a notification signed by NHS secretary Dr Allah Bakhsh Malik, members of the board include the chairman of Higher Education Commission (HEC) and vice president of College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan.

Four members of the board from public sector medical universities were required to be nominated by the provinces. Punjab has nominated Vice Chancellor of Fatima Jinnah Medical University Prof Dr Aamer Zaman Khan as the member representing the province, while nominations from other provinces are still awaited.

Similarly, the provinces have to nominate one each member from private medical universities or colleges. So far Punjab has nominated Principal of Shalimar Medical and Dental College, Lahore, Dr Zahid Bashir. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has nominated Dean of Northwest School of Medicine Prof Dr Muhammad Tariq as the member of the board. Principal of the Army Medical College will also be a member of the board.

Dr Amir Bilal of Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, Dr Saeed Sadiq Hamid of Aga Khan University, Karachi, and Dr Arif Tajammul of Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, have been nominated members of the board from public or private medical colleges.

Prof Dr Tahir Aziz Ahmed of Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, and Dr Khalid Mehmood of King Edward Medical University, Lahore, have also been nominated as members of the board.

Two dentists, Dr Saqib Riaz Qazi and Prof Dr Syed Muhammad Kefi Iqbal, have also been included in the board as its members.

PMC President Dr Arshad Taqi told Dawn that the commission was anxiously waiting for the nomination of board members so that the commission could start its work.

“It is an advisory board and it would set standards of under-graduate and post-graduate education in the country. Though HEC would look into inspections and other issues of the institutions, the board will monitor and ensure standards and it would also revise curriculum of medical and dental colleges. Now we can move ahead as finally the board has been constituted,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2020