ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), a representative body of doctors, demanded on Sunday that the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) Act and the Medical Tribunal Act be withdrawn.

The association urged the government to restore the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and appoint an interim committee to run day to day affairs and hold PMDC elections within 100 days, according to the 1962 PMDC Ordinance.

They said the PMC was established in violation of Islamabad High Court (IHC) orders, alleging the government’s policies would destroy the health sector and prevent people from receiving high quality medical treatment within the country while also causing Pakistani doctors abroad to lose their jobs.

PMA Secretary General Dr Qaisar Sajjad said at a press conference on Sunday the association held an emergency Central Council meeting with a single point agenda – that of the PMC and medical tribunal acts. He said the meeting unanimously rejected the legislation.

“The PMA, being the largest stakeholder and the major representative organisation of doctors, denounces these acts and believes that it will be a big disaster for medical education and healthcare in the county,” he said.

Says legislation contains conflicts of interest, endangers jobs of Pakistani doctors abroad

“The one and the big question regarding the PMC Act that remains to be answered is that it is in total violation of PMDC Ordinance 1962, which is acceptable to all the stakeholders because the ordinance has democratic spirit through which council is mainly formed by the election process. The PMC Act is undemocratic and allows the prime minister to nominate the council. We have failed to understand why the government wants controlled body to run the affairs of medical education by selected people,” he said.

“The PMA has been demanding for the last many years to form a democratic, autonomous, independent and transparent body to regulate medical education in the country but unfortunately in contrast to our demand, the government has passed an undemocratic and controversial act. The attitude of ruling elite is non-democratic and stubborn in actions of legislation in medical affairs of the country, which is not acceptable. The PMA has rejected the PMC and medical tribunal acts passed by the joint session in haste and imposed by the government,” he said.

PMA President Dr Ikram Ahmed Tunio called the PMC Act unwanted, unjustified and unethical, adding it was a conspiracy to destroy medical institutions.

He said: “It is notable that this act is identical to the PMC Ordinance 2020, which was declared illegal by the IHC on Feb 11, 2020. The court had also restored the PMDC, which is once again dissolved by the government. The dissolution of the internationally known institution of PMDC has internationally made the degrees of Pakistani doctors dubious and the jobs of these doctors working abroad are at risk. The whole medical community is protesting against it. The dissolution of PMDC is totally unacceptable and PMA absolutely condemns this act.”

“The PMA and all other doctors’ representative bodies believe that PMC Act has lot of flaws and will be disastrous not only for the doctors’ fraternity but the medical education and healthcare of the country,” he said, explaining that under the act, seven out of the nine members of the PMC’s council would be nominated by the prime minister.

“There is no representation of vice-chancellors, deans, and principals from the public sector or private medical institutions in the council. There is not even representation from the provinces,” he said.

To questions, Dr Sajjad said the new act was passed to give greater autonomy to private medical colleges, who can determine their own tuition fees and charges, select a university of their own choosing for affiliation and set their own criteria to hire faculty.

He added that there was a conflict of interest, as the act states that medical colleges would be controlled by their respective universities. He said this would cause a conflict of interest because the universities receive funding from the colleges and in many cases own them.

“A floodgate has been opened for students studying in China, Russia, etc, who have not been able to get admission on merit anywhere in Pakistan, to migrate to Pakistani medical/dental schools setting aside any regulatory controls.

“After the dissolution of the PMDC, the membership of the doctors registered by the PMDC is also at stake. So, the majority of doctors in the country and abroad think that they are ‘unregistered doctors’ now. Hence their jobs are at risk. Our recognition with international institutes like the International Association of Medical Regulatory Authorities, World Federation of Medical Education and Directory of Organisations that Recognise/Accredit Medical Schools has almost finished,” he said.

He added that under the act, following graduation young doctors have to pass the National Licensing Examination to obtain a full licence to practice.

“This shows that the government does not have trust in the medical education system even through this new act. The other problem with the decision will be a mushroom growth of coaching centres in the country. In the name of preparing the students for exit exams, they will charge hefty fees from already overburdened parents. Financial burden will increase manifold for the parents who want to educate their children,” he said.

Dr Sajjad added that the Medical Tribunal Act was a “discriminatory law”.

“It empowers the Medical Tribunal to fine up to Rs50 million and give a maximum punishment of seven years imprisonment, which we think is actually a punishment for becoming a doctor in this country. Unfortunately, the tribunal aims for speedy trials and it denies the right of medical professionals to appeal in the high courts. The right of appeal has been restricted to the Supreme Court only,” Dr Sajjad said.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2020