Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has termed medical education standards crucial for the health and well-being of citizens.
While chairing the second meeting of the committee on ‘Medical Education’ Dar said, “Our institutions must be empowered to provide top-tier education and training to our future medical professionals.”
He highlighted the need for a conducive environment where medical students could excel and contribute meaningfully to the healthcare sector.
The present government is committed to supporting the next generation of healthcare professionals and ensuring that they receive the best possible education and training, Mr Dar said, emphasizing the government’s dedication to enhancing healthcare through comprehensive improvements in medical training and education and come up with concrete recommendations.
The meeting was attended by National Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath, Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar, MNA Dr Nafeesa Shah, Health Secretary Nadeem Mehbub, Chairman of HEC Dr Mukhtar Ahmned, President of PM&DC Dr Rizwan Taj, Additional Foreign Secretary and heads of public and private medical institutions as well as eminent experts from the medical community.
In his opening address, the deputy PM highlighted the essential role of robust medical education in tackling the nation’s healthcare challenges.
The discussion focused on improving the quality of medical education in Pakistan, including but not limited to, bringing education at par with international best practices, measures to streamline admission in foreign medical colleges, improving coordination between public and private sector as well as regulatory bodies to ensure uniform quality of education.
The next meeting will be held on June 29 after which a report will be submitted to the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in May had established a 25-member committee to address medical education issues and discuss adjusting students, who returned from Kyrgyzstan, in Pakistani medical colleges. The committee had to submit its report in 10 days which however, could not be finalized till date.
The committee, headed by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, held its first meeting in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The members of the committee include Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, PM Coordinator on Health Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath, MNA Dr Nafisa Shah, retired Maj Gen Azhar Kayani, secretaries of ministries of health and foreign affairs, HEC chairman, PMDC President Dr Rizwan Taj, Vice Chancellor (VC) Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical University Prof Tariq Iqbal, Dean Khyber Medical College Dr Mehmood Aurangzeb, provincial secretaries and others.
