LAHORE: The Punjab governor on Thursday promulgated an ordinance to restore the status of the King Edward Medical College 15 years after it was upgraded as university.

The goal of the ordinance is to restore over 150-year-old historic status of the KEMC following the long-standing demands of the former and present faculty of the varsity.

In a related development, the Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education (SH&ME) department Punjab has prepared a summary for the Punjab government to seek permission to notify the institute as the Medical Teaching Institution (MTI) under the MTI Reforms Act 2020. The department has also nominated/proposed names of six members in various categories to constitute the Board of Governors of the KEMC.

A summary will be sent to Chief Minister Usman Buzdar for final consideration before issuance of the notifications of the constitution of the Board and the institution as MTI. The members nominated/proposed are University of Health Sciences Lahore former vice chancellor Prof Dr Mahmood Shaukat (health professional), Prof Turab Ali (educationist), Usama Siddiq (law/public policy), Ikramul Haq (economist), Arif Saeed (businessman) and Dr Amir Ali (health professional).

Under the newly-promulgated Ordinance, the KEMC will be the constituent college of the KEMU which will continue to function separately. However, all the assets and faculty of the university shall be transferred to the KEMC. The attached hospitals including the Mayo Hospital, Lahore, shall be the teaching institute of the KEMC and the college will be run by a principal.

It further stated the provincial assembly is not in session and the Punjab governor is satisfied the circumstances exist which render it necessary to take immediate action.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2021