PESHAWAR, Feb 14: The provincial health department had decided to strengthen public and private sector paramedical training institutes, officials said.

Officials of the health department had been ordered to seek NWFP Medical Faculty’s affiliation with the Higher Education Commission, enabling it to offer bachelors’ degrees in different medical disciplines.

Officials said that this was decided in a meeting held at the Provincial Health Services Academy on Jan 26.

“Before approaching the HEC, the faculty will be re-organised to fulfil the laid down criteria,” said an official. It was also decided that the Postgraduate Paramedical Institute would award degrees besides conferring diplomas, they said.

The officials said that the affiliation committee of the University of Peshawar had visited the paramedical institute, presently located in the premises of the Lady Reading Hospital, and its decision was awaited. He hoped that the university would grant affiliation to the institue.

The meeting decided that the affiliation process would be accelerated as students had been admitted for Bachelors’ degree programme as it would benefit paramedics as it would enable them to secure promotions.

Officials said that the primary healthcare and multi-purpose technicians, including malaria, expanded programme on immunisation (EPI), leprosy, sanitation and other staff, who so far hold no certificate, would be registered with the medical faculty and be eligible for admissions to the paramedical institute. It was also decided that the medical faculty would devise a training method before granting them registration.

The faculty will take examination forms as private candidates that would make them eligible for seeking admission to diploma and degree courses at the paramedical institute.

Referring to regularisation of private paramedical training institutes, it was decided that the medical faculty would ensure their standardisation by conducting regular inspections. Clinical practice would be obligatory for students of private medical institutes, officials said.

Furthermore, it was decided that admission to privately-run paramedical institutes be given to students with a minimum of 45 per cent marks in the pre-medical group.