For and against upgradation of medical colleges to universities

Islamabad

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is all set to make a hard choice on his return from China whether to amend part of his recent decision, to enact law to keep a uniform medical education and exam system under one body, or to allow multiple medical universities to set their own standards, exam systems across the province (as the new system envisages). 

The critics of Punjab government’s recent decision to upgrade three medical colleges to universities opine it would hamper uniform standards as well as examination system all over the province, currently under one supervision and standardisation body – the University of Health Science (UHS). While the top bureaucrats in the Punjab Health Department brush aside the decision and favour setting up of more universities in the province, arguing apart from teething problems that may span 2-3 years, the system would work fine in the long run. The CM, known for taking prompt decisions and famous for ruling the province through young bureaucrats, has lately been advised by close circles to encourage free debate on this critical issue of medical education system, as they argue, education providing institutions can't be standard setting, recognition and examining bodies.

A top bureaucrat considered in the inner most circle of Punjab chief minister has recently advised him to review this important aspect of the decision as proliferation of medical universities, both government run and private, would take away all the checks and balances on medical education and the standards. And international institutions like GMC United Kingdom, ECFMG and World Health Organization (WHO), will not recognise these nascent universities.

Secretary Health Punjab, Najam Ahmed Shah, sharply differs with such criticism, and is sure that the setting up of new health universities would be a good omen for the health education system and ultimately benefit patients and doctors. “Higher Education Commission (HEC) funds universities and not medical colleges. Therefore, there is need for more and more universities for progress in the field of health sciences,” the top health official in Punjab told The News, adding “In Sindh, there are 11 medical universities and each university is maintaining its own standard and conducting its own examination.” “In Iran, there are 85 medical universities and Iran's health system is considered as one of the best health systems,” Secretary Health maintained.

Asked how would the new universities secure international recognition after UHS is no more the sole standard setting and examination body, Najam Shah admitted: “This may happen for initial 2 to 3 years. But ultimately, like Sindh universities, it will not be a problem. International recognition is based on curriculum and examination system”. But critics say Sindh medical universities are no role model for the country as a sharp decline in standard of medical education and examination system is observed there. Some senior medical professionals quote UK’s example. There medical schools and colleges are affiliated with one university for the last two centuries to make sure uniform standards and harmony.

Recently, through ordinances, the Punjab government legislated to upgrade Rawalpindi Medical College, Faisalabad Medical college and Nishtar Medical College Multan to universities. The decision is being seen by some medical professionals as of monumental implications that needed a free objective debate, and an institution-building approach that should not be influenced by political pragmatism.

A UHS board member felt strongly that these new Universities cannot reach standard of UHS even in decades. The UHS has gradually risen to this level of expertise since its inception in 2002. He said in the present era of ITC, physical proximity of standard setting and exam taking body is not required. Rather, the farther it is from teaching institutions more insulated it will be from pressures. Secretary Health Punjab Najam Ahmed Shah however strongly feels “this hue and cry is mainly by 'Monopolies' as their future is becoming limited to private medical colleges.”

“This is the first time that three medical universities are made, and all out of Lahore from South to North and Centre. There was much resistance and there should be lot of cribbing,” he argued. “The results are visible with this Sunday’s MDMS test conducted at board of intermediate examination halls. Earlier the max number of appeared candidates was not more than 800 and that also happened due to central induction policy.” “The progress today is the number has risen to 3,400 doctors appearing in exams. This is an unbelievable paradigm shift .A trust of doctors community that was never there since 1920. One hundred years on one side and one year on other,” Punjab’s top health official concluded. 

On the other hand, the Punjab CM has been advised by close quarters to ensure a uniform examination system by the UHS intact in the interest of patients and doctors. “It is a very retrogressive decision (to upgrade three medical colleges to new universities) and will greatly damage and harm medical education and health systems in the Punjab,” said a member of the UHS board of governors on anonymity.

And PML-N Punjab government’s decision, he contended, to upgrade medical colleges in Rawalpindi, Multan to universities would take away all the good work achieved by University of Health Sciences (UHS) established since year 2002 to carry out these tasks in the discipline of health sciences in the Punjab. Even UHS, all through these years, is till date unable to introduce any post graduation as its role is confined to an examination body.