THIS is with reference to the report ‘PMDC drafts new accreditation standards for medical colleges, hospitals’ (March 15). Unfortunately, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has once again blatantly failed to include the most important stakeholders in the process of preparing the accreditation standards.

Out of 184 medical and dental colleges, 118 are in the private sector, while 66 are public-sector institutions. The Pakistan Association of Private Medical and Dental Institutions (PAMI) represents private-sector medical and dental colleges across Pakistan.

The accreditation standards made by PMDC are illogical and do not take into consideration the ground realities. Many subspecialties have been added whose experts are largely non-existent in the country and cannot be brought in, especially in terms of academic institutions located in peripheral and far-flung areas.

Unnecessary expenses and facilities have been added that have nothing to do with the quality and standard of medical or dental education. PAMI had reviewed the entire document, and suggested a number of changes to make it a balanced and practically applicable document. However, the PMDC ignored all such suggestions, and has, instead, notified its own document.

Such a course of actions has nothing to do with the standard of medical or dental education, and will only cause hardship to the institutions and the families of those associated with them either as students or employees.

The PMDC should revisit the matter and form a task force comprising all the relevant stakeholders from all regions of Pakistan to develop a practically sound document. Thereafter, adequate time should be given to all institutions to meet those standards effectively.

Dr Arif Arfeen
Karachi

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2024