ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services (NHS) on Tuesday refused to take a briefing from Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC).

However, it endorsed the recommendation of the ministry of NHS to the commission to postpone the Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Tests (MDCAT) till further orders.

The committee chaired by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf legislator Dr Mohammad Afzal Khan Dhandla had been calling the PMC for a briefing for the last a few months but its management did not bother to show up.

On Tuesday, representatives form the of ministry of health wanted to brief the committee on the PMC but Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) legislator Zahra Wadood Fatemi said there was no reason for giving a briefing on the PMC as it did not exist anymore.

Endorses health ministry’s recommendation to postpone medical colleges’ entry test

The ministry representatives said the matter regarding the regulator (PMC) was yet to be sent to the president.

The representatives of the PMC were also present, but Ms Fatemi said PMC should not be called a regulator. The committee then decided not to take a briefing from the PMC.

On August 20, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif withdrew the nomination of PMC’s seven out of nine members.

The PMC was established in 2020 after dissolving the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) through the Pakistan Medical Commission Ordinance 2019.

On Aug 24, the premier constituted a search committee, comprising seven members, which will appoint members to the Medical and Dental Council and the National Medical and Dental Academic Board of the PMC.

Moreover, a bill to repeal the PMC has been passed by the National Assembly and from the standing committee of the Senate.

Ms Fatemi said MDCAT cannot be held due to the prevailing situation of floods in the country.

On her request, the committee also recommended the cancellation of the admission test.

On Aug 27, after receiving requests from Sindh and Balochistan, the ministry of NHS had decided to postpone the MDCAT till further orders.

“We got requests from both the provinces that due to heavy rains and floods it was not possible for them to hold and provide security for the MDCAT. So it has been decided to postpone the exam scheduled from September 7 to September 30. We deliberately did not announce the next date of MDCAT as we want to start it at the earliest. As soon as things come under control, we will announce the new schedule. So I suggest to the candidates to keep preparing for the exam,” Director Regulations at the ministry Dr Baseer Khan Achakzai had told media.

However, only the PMC can take the final decision so there was confusion if MDCAT will be held as earlier scheduled or not.

The committee also took notice of the shortage of nurses across the country and directed the ministry to take steps to increase the number of nursing students.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2022