Body formed to oversee medical education

LAHORE:A committee has been formed to address the emerging challenges in the entire spectrum of medical education in the country, including undergraduate education, graduate education, clinical certification, health research and research oriented education, adoption of international standards, besides addressing equivalence and certification issues aboard.

The committee will be headed by Highter Education Commission (HEC) chairman. It will include representatives of the Ministry of Health, PMDC, CPSP and the universities providing medical education.

This was decided in a meeting of the heads of key health education institutions in the country, including Dr Tariq Banuri, HEC chairman. The meeting took note of the recent de-recognition of some Pakistani medical degrees by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and constituted a five-member delegation to resolve the matter with the Saudi authorities. The delegation will comprise the representatives of the medical universities and the HEC.

It was discussed that recently there were instances in which Pakistanis who had MD/MS degrees were removed from their services and were asked to leave the country. It was noted that although a few Pakistani medical universities had already shared their syllabi, monitoring and evaluation system and other documents with relevant authorities, however, there was a need to take up the issue collectively. The meeting also reviewed the experience of Pakistani students studying in medical colleges in other countries and the current additional requirements for them when they returned to Pakistan.

The participants expressed gratitude to HEC for taking lead on an important matter that was affecting Pakistani medical degree holders working in Saudi Arabia. anti-dengue steps: Provincial Minister for Transport Jahanzeb Khan has directed the officers concerned to accelerate the pace of anti-dengue campaign and said effective preventive measures should be taken for rooting out the possible growth of dengue larva at the bus stands of the province.

He also directed the officers to take special measures at the tyre shops situated in the bus stands for the eradication of dengue larva. He directed the authorities concerned to visit the bus stands at the district level on a regular basis and monitored the proper implementation of government initiatives for eradicating dengue.

He said the officers of district regional transport authorities should make a strong liaison with those associated with transport business and the chief officers of municipal authorities. He warned that no leniency would be tolerated.