Medical profession in regulatory limbo

Passed by National Assembly on June 8, the bill has been languishing in Senate in a classic case of legislative catch 22.

By Naveed Naqvi

ISLAMABAD: The medical profession in Pakistan exists in a regulatory vacuum right now because the sector has no regulator, but inexplicably, the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif shows no sense urgency over the matter.

Backed by a multiparty Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) coalition, Sharif’s government was initially quick to lay down its priorities by breezing through the National Assembly a bill to strike down Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC).

The short-lived PMC was a regulatory body instituted by the previous government to replace the erstwhile Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC), which it abolished. Instituted by the previous government in the name of reform, PMC has so far proved to be catastrophic for the medical health sector, causing great damage to overall infrastructure.

The Sharif government’s bill purports to abolish it and to reinstate PMDC. The stakeholders had broadly welcomed the move to abolish PMC in view of myriad public grievances against its flawed policies especially for MDCAT exam, its lack of expertise, capacity, and aptitude.

However, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council Bill 2022, passed by the National Assembly on June 8, has since failed to clear Senate. The upshot is that the medical profession is living in a legal limbo, creating endless problems for all stakeholders including students.

In particular, this has caused great agony and distress among aspiring students who have to take medical entry tests very soon.

One student affected by the legal limbo lamented the federal minister health and other Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) notables (whom he contacted) name date upon date for the presentation and passage of the bill from Senate.

Observes say the government had ample opportunity and time to get the bill approved from the upper house of the legislature during the whole month of June.

“This clearly reflects government’s inability or lack of interest in the PMDC restoration bill”, said the student. “There may be some pressure on the government, preventing it from carrying the bill through Senate.”

Dr Riaz Janjua, a member of Pakistan Association of Private Medical & Dental Institutions (PAMI), told Independent Pakistan that over 80 percent seats in medical and dental colleges of Sindh went vacant due to the PMC’s misplaced policies.

In particular, PMC’s policies with respect to conducting MDCAT exam have been deeply flawed.

“Before any legislation, the government must take all stakeholders in confidence”, Janjua said, adding the government was not he only stakeholder in the matter as it touched the lives of patients, students, and doctors had implications for the operations of medical colleges as well as government organisations within the medical sector.

Sources close the matters say the bill has been bogged down in Senate, where members have raised some objections to its provisions. The bill is said to have been referred to Senate Standing Committee on Health.

Bizarrely, however, the government seems happy to let the bill languish in Senate no more making a serious effort to carry it through Senate of Pakistan.

Independent Pakistan attempted to contact government officials in this regard to get their side of the story but none of them chose to respond.

This delay in the passage of PMDC Bill through the Senate has cast doubts on the government’s intentions in the matter. Observers say they are at a loss for any plausible justification for the government’s dillydallying over a matter of public interest.

Senate has to amend or accept the bill within sixty days. In case Senate amends the bill, the amended bill will again go the National Assembly. If the National Assembly passes it again, the prime minister will send the bill to President.

Upon signing by the President, the bill becomes a law. If for any reason the president fails to sign the bill within ten days of its submission, a reminder will be sent and after passage of ten days, the bill will automatically become a law.