ISLAMABAD, April 30: Mem-bers of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) expressed concern on Monday over the growing influence of the health ministry and the resulting ‘loss of autonomy’ of the profession’s regulator.

They questioned the usefulness of the Council at a time when all decisions were being thrust on it by the ministry.

The members were protesting at the 107th session of the council against the de-notification of several leading medical institutions and acceptance of several other institutions, mostly private, by ignoring the due procedure.

They were particularly concerned about the manner in which even some elected executive members of the council were de-notified.

PMDC president Dr Sibtul Hasnain, trying to pacify the agitating members, said the council could not resist the government and would have to implement its policies.

Dr Hasnain also tried to appease the NWFP government by allowing Vice-Chancellor of the Khyber University to attend the session.

The protest, led by Principal of the Rawalpindi Medical College Dr Mussadiq Khan, Principal of the Quaid-e-Azam Medical College, Bhawalpur, Dr Ali Ajwad Jafferi and NWFP government’s nominee Yunus Javed, was, nevertheless, put down by a majority of private institutions controversially added to the Council.

Through a resolution, the president assumed powers to decide the issue of recognition of the remaining private colleges.

The council regularised the cases of 77 students who had been admitted to private medical colleges in violation of the PMDC requirements.

An attempt was made by Sindh government nominee Dr Naushad to get a representative of a private medical institution accommodated in his place on the executive council of the PMDC.

Dr Doniya Aziz, who represents the National Assembly, resisted the proposal and said that proper election procedure should be followed.

Earlier, federal Health Minister Nasir Khan, who made an unprecedented appearance at a council meeting, urged the council to speed up the recognition of private medical institutions in order to complete the process ahead of the deadline set for it.

He stressed the importance of collaborating with the private sector.