Pakistan Medical and Dental Council dissolved, offices shut down

ISLAMABAD: The government has dissolved Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) with its offices temporarily shut down to ensure protection of the essential records and assets of the council.

President Dr Arif Alvi signed a new ordinance titled Pakistan Medical Commission Ordinance, 2019 mandating the dissolution of the PMDC.

The ordinance is believed to usher a new era of regulation and control of the medical profession by the establishment of uniform standards of medical education and training as well as recognition of qualifications in medicine and dentistry.

The offices will remain shut for one week. The Pakistan Medical Commission will be a body consisting of the Medical and Dental Council, the National Medical and Dental Academic Board, and the National Medical Authority, which will act as a secretariat of the commission.

The Government of Pakistan acted immediately to protect hugely important records relating to licencing and registration of all medical and dental practitioners in Pakistan as well as the records of medical and dental educational institutions in view of the approval of the new Pakistan Medical Commission Ordinance.

The new commission is expected to start operations within a week. In order to ensure that no inconvenience is caused to ongoing medical and dental admissions, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination will be taking necessary steps for supervision and overseeing of the admission process to ensure it is properly completed.