ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly has recently passed the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) Bill 2022 in a joint session.
Sponsored by PPPP lawmakers, including Mahreen Razzaq Bhutto and Syed Agha Rafiullah, the House passed the PMDC Bill 2022. Moreover, the government also approved the decision not to take MDCAT and NLE from medical and dental students. The House also passed the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Bill, 2022, which was sponsored by Syed Agha Rafiullah.
Restoration of PMDC from PMC
Upon the commencement of the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) Act, 2022, the existing Commission constituted under section 4 of the Pakistan Medical Commission Act, 2020 shall be dissolved. The Minister in charge of the Division shall manage the Council's affairs until the constitution of a new council under this Act and until a new president, and a vice-president is elected. During an interim time, the Minister in charge of the Division will have Council authority.
Abdul Qadir Patel, Minister for National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination, commended the National Assembly for repealing two controversial acts approved by Pakistan's previous Tehreek-e-Insaf government (PTI).
He said the repeal of two black laws, the Pakistan Medical Commission and the PIMS Act, was a positive step while speaking on the point of order in the National Assembly. Over 55 per cent of Sindh medical college seats remained unfilled as a result of the PMC Act 2020. While over 18,000 students decided to pursue medical education abroad since the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences was established as a private corporation under the PIMS Act. With the government's consent, he said, several favourites were paid Rs 1 million, Rs 2 million, and Rs 800,000 in salary. He stated that the current government was concentrated on demonstrating performance and giving the best possible amenities to the people.
PMDC was replaced with PMC in the previous government
The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) was abolished by an ordinance issued by Dr Arif Alvi, Former President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, paving the way for the foundation of a new organisation, the Pakistan Medial Commission (PMC).
A total of 220 council employees were told to leave the office for a week by the NHS Ministry of National Health Services (NHS), which took control of the PMDC building through the Islamabad district administration and police.
