KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) on Friday appreciated the chairman of the Senate’s Standing Committee on National Health Services for his “bold reaction” on the “interference” of the federal minister concerned in the affairs of the country’s premier body to regulate medical services.

“We appreciate the chairman for his reaction on the minister’s manipulation for electing the latter’s close friend as president of the PMDC and favouring a group of doctors,” said Dr S.M. Qaisar Sajjad, secretary general of the PMA.

He said the PMA had already rejected the PMDC Ordinance 2019 under which “this selected council has been formed, which is in total violation of PMDC Ordinance 1962”.

“The PMA has always called for making the PMDC an autonomous, independent, transparent, democratic and vibrant body to look after the related issues in a democratic and transparent way. Thro­ugh this ordinance, we think that there will be no change in the affairs of the PMDC and it will remain a continuation of the mess which we have been witnessing for decades,” said Dr Sajjad.

He requested the members of the Senate and National Assembly to come forward and support the PMA by raising their voice against “this illegal, unconstitutional and destructive ordinance” and to reject PMDC Ordinance 2019 in both houses of parliament in near future.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2019