Medical colleges autonomy draft reviewed

LAHORE: A meeting chaired by Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid has reviewed proposed draft bill to award autonomy to medical education institutions here on Wednesday.

Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education (SH&ME) Saqib Zaffer briefed the meeting about the draft. Heads of various medical institutions and other stakeholders were present. The minister informed the participants that the Punjab government would gradually give autonomy to medical institutions.

“The government wants to improve quality of education and purpose of awarding autonomy to medical teaching institutions was to enhance their capacity building,” Dr Yasmin Rashid said. She suggested that board of governors of each institution should be more empowered for timely and better decision-making.

“Medical teaching institutions would be empowered with financial and administrative authority but performance of each teaching college would be strictly watched by the government,” she said and directed all aspects of draft bill be reviewed before finalising it.

Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Saqib Zaffer informed the meeting that before making teaching institutions all stakeholders would be taken in the loop. “Comparative study of national and international institutions would be conducted before taking final decision. Health Department would increase its support for strengthening medical education institutions,” he said.