KARACHI: General Secretary Pakistan Association of Private Medical and Dental Institutions (PAMI) Dr Riaz Janjua told that the recent promulgation of Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) has been a better change for the medical and dental community, alleviating the standards of education.
In an exclusive talk with Dental News, Dr Riaz Janjua said, “PAMI has always been a supporter of raising the standards of medical and dental education. Though we are still analysing, overall PAMI is glad that private institutes have been given representation in the regulatory body.”
Dr Riaz said that the doctors were suffering badly due to issues in getting licence and registration. He said, “Everyone knows how much it was difficult to undergo through the tiring and never-ending procedures of getting registered as medical or dental practitioners. It is high time that we need proper facilities and regulation which can only be done through reforms, and I can see that PMC has the ability to deliver that.”
The major issue in Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) was the lack of representation of private institutes’ stakeholders. “We were not asked or included in any of the regulatory meetings. It’s ironic that private medical and dental institutes generate big numbers, but still, we were considered not worthy enough to share our perspective.”
Speaking about National Licence Examination (NLE) introduced by PMC, Dr Riaz said, “I don’t really understand what the fuss is all about. NLE is happening in the USA but not in the UK. NLE is not the issue. The issue is fixing the eligibility of exam. Many students are free to give NBDE even after completing their second year, they are not bound to appear only after graduation. That is the point we really want to raise.”
Referring to the autonomy given to private medical and dental institutes in the moderation of tuition fees, Dr Riaz said, “All over the world, private institutes control tuition fees and moderate it. The tuition fees will be charged as per the amount spent on students. We [Private Medical and Dental Institutes] don’t get funds, the way public sectors get. If we are bound by fees cap, then how can we alleviate the standard of education? Putting fees cap will restrict the facilities that a private medical and dental college want to deliver to its students.”
Dr Riaz said that charging high tuition fees surely means a great level of education standard. “People don’t complain about paying huge tuition fees of Agha Khan University because they know that the level of education they are getting in return is better than any institution of Pakistan.”
Dr Riaz concluded that the support of PAMI has always been towards better change and reforms, which can be expected from PMC.
-DN Report
Dr Muattar Hanif
The author is Editor at Dental News Pakistan and can be reached at newsdesk@medicalnewsgroup.com.pk
