ISLAMABAD: The legislative body unanimously decided to approach the Supreme Court of Pakistan through the attorney general to seek flexibility in its imposed ban on new admissions in all medical colleges to secure time and future of students waiting for enrolment in medical education in the country on Friday. The decision was made in the meeting of Senate standing committee on National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination (NHSRC) with Senator Muhammad Ateeq Sheikh with chair. The lawmakers said that it is the matter of the future of hundreds and thousands of students who are looking to announcement from the colleges regarding opening of new admissions. Last month, Chief Justice Justice Mian Saqib Nisar while hearing a case, imposed ban on new admissions in the medical colleges until formulation of uniform admission policy from Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC). He said that “we have to frame a central system for admission in medical colleges as the current system has several loopholes”. While discussing another agenda item regarding E-system planned to introduce in the PMDC, the council official informed the committee that all work regarding this development would be completed almost within six months’ time period with estimated cost of around Rs 20 million. Committee chair asked the PMDC that either internationally practiced similar models are taken in consideration or not. In response, the council official remarked that so for only local Information Technology companies and Punjab Information Technology Board have been consulted in this regard. However, official committed that any international organisations could be approached if required. Senator Ateeq Sheikh said that it has been observed that placement of any such mechanism without pre-exercised policy, turned fail mostly. He further directed that before finalisation of draft of the system for giving tender in the press, the PMDC should give a detailed briefing over this. The PMDC officials agreed that the technical committee of the council would do this job on priority basis. On a proposed amendment in the PMDC ordinance by incumbent acting council, the committee chair expressed wondered that why the health committee was not taken in account in this regard. He questioned that how is this possible that an acting council making new legislation. The senator further recommended that the ministry of law should submit a detailed response on this matter and also clarified that either an acting council can make such amendments or not until Monday. The matter of nomination of alleged blue-eyed officials of NHSRC Ministry in health conference scheduled on August 16 in Geneva, Switzerland, was also pointed out in the meeting. Ateeq Sheikh surprised on byname nominations of the ministry officials for the conference instead cadres. Health ministry official claimed that there was a selection committee in the ministry which thoroughly scrutinises all such affairs, adding that the committee has a system under which the selected officials are bound to give a comprehensive report on the conference they attended as well as submit their recommendations to apply them in the country health sector for more improvement. The committee also directed to show the record of selected officials. Besides, the matter of stents prices also came under discussion. Drug Regulatory Authority (DRAP) officer informed the house that under new policy now it’s mandatory to display prices on each imported pack of stent. A stent rate list is also been displayed on main receptions of the all stunt centres including DRAP official website. Meanwhile, another agenda item which contained purely interests of common men, kept on in-camera. The agenda was pricing policy of the medicines and stents. Published in Daily Times, August 11th 2018.