RAHIM YAR KHAN, Feb 3: The standard of Sheikh Zayed Medical College (SZMC) matches any institute in the country. SZMC principal Dr Eas Muhammad told journalists here that the institute also fulfilled all terms and conditions of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) as well.

He said that the PMDC had been informed that a team could be sent to the institute for examining the institute’s standard any time.

The principal said the SZMC was equipped with all the necessary machinery, instruments for experiments, staff, lecture halls, auditorium, laboratories and a library.

Any medical college, he said, must have a 500-bed hospital for 100 students, but the SZMC was in possession of 673 beds which were divided among students.

About the mode of recruitment of the teaching staff, he said that all posts were properly advertised and appointments were made according to the PMDC standard in a transparent manner.

In line with the autonomous law for medical colleges 2003, he said all appointments from grade 17 to 20 were made by a special selection board. The board comprised one each member from the Punjab Public Service Commission, the Health department and professor of the departments concerned.

Dr Eas Muhammad said that the PPSC had deputed Maj-Gen Khalid Bashir (retired) as its member, the Health Department Dr Atiqur Rehman as its director, while Prof Dr Talat Mehmood of the QMC was appointed for the ENT post, Prof Tehseen Iqbal of NMC for the eye department post and Prof Dr Arif Tajjamul of the PGIL for the gynae department post.

He said the selection board had sent its proposals to the board of management which would forward them to the health department for the final order.

All patients in the emergency were provided with the facility of medicines, X-rays and tests of every nature free of cost while eye operations of the needy patients were conducted with the help of welfare funds, he said.