ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Islamabad chapter on Sunday appreciated the decision of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to give exemption to graduates of Pakistani medical and dental colleges from the National Licensing Examination (NLE).

In a statement, PMA President Dr Akhtar Ali Bandesha and General Secretary Dr Mubashir Mushtaq Daha said now the PMDC had started issuing permanent registration certificates to doctors who graduated from Pakistani medical and dental colleges without the requirement of NLE.

“This important step was taken in accordance with the pledge of Minister for National Health Services Abdul Qadir Patel, who made this during a meeting with the PMA Islamabad chapter. PMA truly represented the doctors’ community and made sincere efforts to get success in the fulfillment of their genuine demands including exemption from NLE,” Dr Bandesha said.

He said it was a good sign that taking up all relevant matters and affairs PMDC had started its registration portal as a priority after making all necessary arrangements for the transition from PMC to PMDC.

In this regard, an interactive PMDC online portal has been launched to facilitate doctors throughout the country while the PMDC also started issuing good-standing certificates and renewals.

Dr Daha said the PMA had raised the issue at various forums and keeping in view its demand and on the direction of the health minister the decision was taken to facilitate the doctors. He said the PMA Islamabad chapter will continue its efforts to address the problems of medical students and doctors.

It is pertinent to mention here that the NLE was mandatory as per the previous law of PMC. The local graduates had to appear and pass the NLE before getting their permanent registration and starting clinical practice.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2023