LARKANA, Nov 25: A seven-member team of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) on Friday visited healthcare facilities at the Chandka Medical College and its attached hospitals working under the administrative control of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SBBMU) to assess whether their standard matches with the criterion set by the PMDC.

The team -- headed by Professor Mumtazuddin Haidar, principal, Jinnah Medical and Dental College -- visited departments of surgery, medicine, radiology, cardiology, ophthalmology, urology, psychiatry and others at the CMCH, Shaikh Zayed Hospital for women and children hospital.

The team had a meeting with the Vice-Chancellor of SBBMU Professor Dr Akbar Haidar Soomro, who briefed its members about the establishment of the university.

Professor Dr Aijaz Memon, the head of the department of surgery, told reporters in the presence of team members that SBBMU had proposed the PMDC to recognise the institution for initiating post-graduation courses in 20 disciplines.

Though the team members were tight-lipped about the recommendations but sources said that they, in principle, agreed to recommend post-graduation courses in 15 disciplines.

Professor Haidar said that they were convinced that the university should be allowed to undertake different post-graduate courses as facilities in this regard were adequate.

Dr Sitara Hassan, Assistant Registrar of the PMDC, said that the recommendations of the team would be submitted to the general council of the PMDC. A concerned committee may meet next month to vet the recommendations, she said.

When asked in which disciplines the PMDC would be asked to allow the SBBMU to introduce post-graduate courses, she said at the moment they could not divulge the names of disciplines.