Daily Times

A delegation from Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council (UMDPC) visited Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) offices, here on Friday. The UMDPC delegation had a meeting with senior officials of the Punjab Healthcare Commission and received briefing about the jurisdiction, working, mandate and achievements of the Commission. The visitors were informed that a three-pronged strategy – encompassing standard development, enforcement and inspection, and complaint management – had been adopted by the PHC for improving the healthcare service delivery in the province. The visitors were told that, as per the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the federal government was responsible for regulating medical education including curriculum, training examination and licensing of the healthcare professionals whereas the healthcare service delivery fell under the provinces, which had established their respective healthcare commissions for regulating the quality of healthcare. It was mentioned that the Punjab province was the first to establish the commission as a premier regulatory authority to carry out the task, while the rest provinces followed suit. The meeting was chaired by PHC Chief Executive Officer Dr Muhammad Saqib Aziz. The three-member foreign delegation, comprising Vice-Chancellor Kampala International University Prof Muhammad Mpezamihigo and Registrar of the Council Dr Katumba Ssentongo, was led by Chairman of Council Associate Prof Dr Joel Okullo. Pro-Rector University of Health Sciences Prof Shahid Malik also accompanied the delegation. Director Clinical Governance PHC Dr Mushtaq Ahmed Salariya was also present.