SAHIWAL, Oct 28: Medical education does not appear on the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N’s priorities. The fact was revealed at a meeting on Friday at the divisional commissioner’s office which discussed the schemes approved under the provincial Annual Development Programme (ADP).

A scheme promising Rs500 million for the Sahiwal Medical College in the ADP, however, could not make to the approved schemes. The meeting learnt that 54 development schemes worth Rs2.4 billion, all recommended by the PML-N assembly members of Sahiwal division, had been approved.

The meeting, chaired by Sahiwal Commissioner Qazi Ashfaq, learnt major allocations for development schemes this year included: Rs666 million for Okara-Maripattan Road; Rs482 million for Deepalpur-Bonga Hayat Road; Rs1.34 million for the dualisation of Sahiwal-Pakpattan Road; Rs321 million for Okara DHQ hospital; Rs92.546 million for a girls’ college, Gogera; Rs75.187 million for a sports gymnasium in Sahiwal; and Rs53.55 million for the rural water supply scheme, Harrapa city.

An official quoted the commissioner as saying that fund allocated for the Sahiwal Medical College, dualization of Sahiwal-Arifwala Road and construction of a girls’ college near the DPS had not been approved in the provincial ADP because of the paucity of funds.

The government had announced Rs500 million for the medical college in Nov 2010. The college also suffered a setback when the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council in its meeting on Oct 26 showed concerns at the shortage of teachers in the college. The issue may jeopardize the recognition of the college as a valid institution. The college has launched MBBS with 100 students enrolled. Classes are held at the DHQ hospital.

Principal Dr Zameer told Dawn the project concept-1 of the campus building was under process but delay in issue of funds would impact the project. At the moment, the college is being run through interim provincial grants.