NAWABSHAH, Dec 13: The People’s Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) saw its name changed for the fourth time in 33 years of its establishment, to Nawabshah Medical College and Hospital, with little or no improvement in terms of facilities in the institution.

A notification issued by provincial ministry of health on Tuesday stated that with the approval of competent authority, the name of PMC hospital and college had been changed to NMC hospital and college.

Civil Hospital Nawabshah was first renamed as PMC hospital after the establishment of People’s Medical College during the first government of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in 1974.

The name was reverted to Nawabshah Medical College and Hospital in 1978 after Gen Zia took over and was again renamed as PMC in 1988 when PPP came to power for the second time. So, this makes it the fourth time that the institution has got its name changed.

PMCH Medical Superintendent Dr Naseer Ahmed Shaikh and Principal PMC Prof Ali Akbar Ghumro have confirmed the change in the institution’s name.

The name change would have little affect on the facilities the hospital was providing to patients but would instead cause millions of rupees to go down the drain.

Sources said that the government had taken the decision on repeated demands of the local leadership of Pakistan Muslim League.