HYDERABAD: Representatives of Pakistan Medical Association’s (PMA) Hyderabad chapter have called for re-conducting MDCAT test in Sindh on account of complaints of paper leak and called for exposing the people involved in the fiasco.

PMA president Dr Agha Taj, president-elect, Dr Sohail Almani, vice presidents Dr Aslam Chohan and Dr Inayatullah Memon and general secretary Dr Ashfaq Qureshi told a news conference at local press club on Sunday that MDCAT examinations were always marred by controversies.

They said that this year again the test was hit by complaints of paper leak and this showed the entire examination system was replete with flaws.

They lamented that this exam got mired into scandals over past several years but this year’s irregularities had broken all records. Now it was being discussed on roads and also involved litigation which might delay academic year, they said.

They called for exposing all the people responsible for irregularities in the conduct of the exam, and called for re-conducting the test. The entire process should be made transparent and the examination should be digitized, they said.

They regretted that even this day government hospitals were not provided required facilities, rendering provision of quality healthcare facilities to people impossible.

They said that doctors, nurses and paramedics faced serious issues, including security problems. The improvement in health sector was linked with induction of talented and capable human resource, they said.

They said that promotion of specialist doctors should be finalised forthwith and seats for BDS should be increased. Medical officers’ recruitment should be done and services of doctors in PPHI and contractual doctors should be regularised, they demanded.

They said that pending issue of group insurance should be completed and health cards be issued. Rural population should be provided better health facilities and rural health centres be upgraded, they said.

They urged the government to make better security arrangements in government hospitals so that doctors could work in a peaceful and enabling environment.

They also demanded formation of judicial commission to probe extrajudicial murder of Dr Shahnawaz.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2024