ISLAMABAD: The Senate’s Standing Committee on National Health Services and Regulation on Wednesday directed the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to verify degrees of all doctors practicing in public and private hospitals of the federal capital.
The committee recommended formation of a three-member sub-committee comprising Senators Dilawar Khan, Dr Ashok Kumar and Dr Asad Ashraf to monitor the degree verification process.
Present at the meeting of the Senate’s committee chaired by Senator Muhammad Ateeq Sheikh, PMDC Additional Director (Administration) Arshad Nawaz said that degrees of the doctors practicing in the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Polyclinic hospitals could be verified through the health ministry only.
Minister for NHS Aamir Mehmmod Kiyani said that the ministry would facilitate in providing lists of doctors practicing in government sector hospital to verify their degrees.
Senator Kulsoom Parveen remarked that she had a list of nearly one dozen fake doctors practicing in public sector hospitals of the city.
The minister said that the ministry would share names of doctors with the senator so that no one with fake qualification remains unidentified in the verification process.
Moreover, the capital police sought more time from the Senate body to finalise a case of a fake doctor who had been working at the Pakistan Institute and Medical Silences (PIMS), saying that the investigation was under way.
Last month, a fake doctor was caught red-handed working in the PIMS. Senator Kulsoom Parveen had raised the issue during the committee.
Islamabad Police Deputy Inspector General (Operations) Faisal Ali informed the committee that the police had arrested the fake doctor.
The Committee chairman expressed annoyance when capital police officials expressed ignorance over the matter of fake doctors running clinics at various locations in the city and playing havoc with people’s lives.
“What is progress on action against the many fake doctors working in different hospitals and many others also running their private clinics?” Senator Ateeq asked.
In response, police officials said that they were not aware of the matter. They, however, said that they would brief the committee after getting an update.
Senator Parveen pointed out that people with fake degrees were working as doctors and paramedics in federal hospitals.
She said that such individuals needed to be exposed and their degrees should be verified.
The DIG said the he would share details of investigation with the committee in the next meeting.
Senator Ateeq Shekih also expressed concern over the inquiry held by PIMS administration and said that the matter needed to be probed on merit. “Probably junior doctors have been framed in the matter to save the skin of senior official,” he said.
Senator Kulsoom Parveen remarked that junior doctors were included in the inquiry committee to interrogate a senior official involved in the crime.
Published in Daily Times, November 29th 2018.