ISLAMABAD, Oct 21: Health Minister Nasir Khan on Thursday admitted deterioration in quality of education with special reference to medical profession , and warned the students not to take admission in fake medical and dental colleges.
Some colleges have become commercial rather then professional and were fleecing students, the minister told National Assembly in response to a calling attention notice.
The members had drawn the attention of the minister towards non-recognition of Islamabad Medical and Dental College by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC).
The minister said the college could not be given recognition as it lacked basic facilities required for a medical college.
"This college does not come up to the standard set by the PMDC and cannot be recognized as far as they fulfil the requirements," he added.
The minister regretted that lapse in following the code of conduct and basic requirements for a medical institution had deteriorated the medical education standard badly.
He recalled the time when any Pakistani doctor could easily get a job in UK or other European countries hospitals and said, now the situation had worsened.
The minister expressed fears about quality education at these institutions and said, "doctors produced by these institutions are not competent.
"I should not say, but the doctors produced by low standard colleges will pose hazards to lives of people," the minister added.
He said the Islamabad Medical and Dental College was asked two years back to upgrade facilities for recognition, but they could not and now have been given deadline for December this year.
He said a bill would be introduced to the House soon to strengthen the PMDC and bringing all the medical and dental institution under its direct monitoring.
Replying to another calling attention notice, the minister said, the medicine "Vioxx" has been withdrawn from the market by its manufacturing company.
The company had informed the government about this medicine's voluntary withdrawal from October 1 as it had serious side effects, he told the lower house. And if this medicine was still being sold at any store, the authorities concerned at province and the district levels would be asked to take action, he added.-APP