KARACHI, July 8: The federal health ministry has asked the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan not to conduct clinical examination of patients at its premises for the time being.

A ministry circular, captioned "Guidelines for the CPSP for the clinical examination of patients" said Clinical examinations for admitted patients would be held in the hospital where all services were available.

"Until all required facilities or equipment, such as crash trolley, defibrillator, ECG monitor/other monitoring devices, laryngoscope, ambu-bag, endotracheal tubes, oxygen cylinders, etc, are available, no patient will be shifted to the CPSP."

According to health circles, the ministry issued these guidelines in the wake of an enquiry constituted to look into the death of a patient of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre who was shifted to CPSP two months back for a clinical examination which was a part of FCPS examination. The patient, according to doctors, did not feel well at the CPSP and finally was taken back to JPMC where he died after a few hours.

Dr Athar Saeed Dil, in a letter sent to quarters concerned, said the guidelines should strictly be adhered. Once CPSP establishes facilities as per ministry's requirements for clinical examination, a committee would assess the adequacy of the facilities.

The ministry further remarked that food and other needs of patients would be looked after by the CPSP, while a minimum of Rs500 per day would also be paid by the college to the patients as compensation for the inconvenience caused during the examination process.

It was further stated in the circular that due care must be taken to select patients who were not acutely or critically ill or those patients whose condition was not likely to be affected while undergoing the entire process of examination.