PMDC dissolved, new body to regulate medical profession.

Byline: Ikram Junaidi

ISLAMABAD -- President Dr Arif Alvi has promulgated an ordinance which has left the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) dissolved and paved the way for establishment of a new organisation namely Pakistan Medial Commission (PMC).

The PMC will be run by a nine-member body and the head of the commission would be called president. The notification for the new ordinance is expected to be issued on Monday (today).

Moreover, the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) through the Islamabad district administration and police took over the possession of the PMDC building and directed 220 employees of the council that the office will remain shut for one week.

However, the representative body of doctors, Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), has termed the decision undemocratic and appealed to political parties to reject the presidential ordinance.

Even though it was an off day on Sunday panic was triggered in the medical fraternity in the afternoon after the district administration and the police had taken over the council building.

Issuance of ordinance on Sunday sparks panic among doctors

Hours later a statement was issued by the ministry of NHS stating that the president has signed a new ordinance titled 'Pakistan Medical Commission Ordinance, 2019' by virtue of which a new era will begin with reference to regulation and control of the medical profession by establishing uniform minimum standard of medical education and training and recognition of qualifications in medicine and dentistry.

'Implementation of new Ordinance requires dissolution of current PMDC. Government of Pakistan hence on Sunday directed the temporary shutting down of the offices of Council. This would ensure protection of the essential records and assets of PMDC. The offices will remain shut for one week. PMC shall be a body corporate consisting of (1) The Medical and Dental Council; (2) The National Medical and Dental Academic Board; and (3) The National Medical Authority, which will act as a Secretariat of the Commission,' it states.

The government of Pakistan has acted immediately to protect the extremely important records relating to licensing and registration of all medical and dental practitioners in Pakistan as well as the records of medical and dental educational institutions in view of the approval of the new Pakistan Medical Commission Ordinance. The new medical commission is expected to start operations within a week.

'The inconvenience...