ISLAMABAD: The Senate’s Standing Committee of National Health Services (NHS) on Thursday directed the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to examine the earnings and expenditures of Shifa College of Medicine and Islamic International Medical College (IIMC) of Ripha International University. The committee met under chairmanship of Sajjad Hussain Turi and discussed many agenda items. During the meeting, parliamentarians mostly focused on the issue of the exorbitant fees being charged by the medical colleges from the students. The meeting was divided over the issue as Federal NHS Minister Saira Afzal Tarar, Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq and some other government officials supported private medical colleges’ decision to increase fees. They said that these colleges had to make heavy expenditures to provide medical education to their students. On the other hand, senators Turi, Attique Sheikh, Ashok Kumar and Kulsoom Parveen refused to support the move. The committee chairman traded hot words with the minister over the issue. The minister condemned the remarks. Senator Kalsoom Parveen also objected to the proceedings after she was not given a chance to speak. She also tried to walk out from the meeting. Federal Minister Saira Afzal Tarar told the meeting that ministry would negotiate with private medical colleges and try to reach an acceptable solution. She said the colleges earned profits because of loopholes in the policy. “A reality-based decision on setting the fees of private medical institutions will help deal with the situation,” she said. The minister said that private medical education was very expensive all over the world. She said that private medical institutions were charging handsome fees and providing high quality education. The PMDC officials informed the committee that private medical colleges had increased the fees after a Supreme Court decision in 2009. Senator Ashok Kumar remarked that private medical colleges were earning millions of rupees in profit. “In return, they are only providing low-quality education,” he said. Senator Kulsoom Parveen suggested that after holding talks with private medical colleges, the government should bring proposal before the standing committee. “It is the responsibility of the state to provide quality education to citizens. The committee will see what is in the best interests of students,” she said. The committee chairman asked the PMDC to verify the profits and losses of private medical institutions. The committee also discussed the National TB Control Programme. Dr Nasir Mehmood informed the committee that there were around 5.1 million registered patients of the disease in the country. “Till now, 155 expert machines for its diagnoses have been provided. Next year, 149 more such machines will be provided,” he said. He also said that more than 50 percent TB patients were from Punjab and Sindh. Published in Daily Times, August 18th 2017.