Senate Committee recommends plan for future MDCAT exams to be submitted by December end

ISLAMABAD, Nov 14 (SABAH): The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services Regulations and Coordination (NHSRC) took stern notice of MDCAT paper leak held on 22nd September,2024. Officials of PMDC stated that initially, all the university denied the allegations of the leak. However, upon filling of complaint by the MDCAT students before the Sindh High Court, the court suspended the result announced by Dow University of Health Sciences and constituted a committee comprising FIA, two Secretaries and a nominee of PMDC. The FIA forensic report revealed that the paper of MDCAT was leaked 13 hours before the Scheduled time of exam.

Senator Amir Waliuddin Chisti remarked that students who passed the matriculation and Intermediate examination with marginal marks had somehow succeeded in getting 197 marks out of 200 in MDCAT. He directed the PMDC to submit a future plan for MDCAT exams before the end of December. He added that future exams should be IT based to curb the menace of cheating and PMDC should make a ‘Question Bank’ public in order to resolve the matter of ‘Out of Syllabus’ once and for all.

Senator Amir Waliuddin Chisti chaired the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services Regulations and Coordination today at Parliament House.

Furthermore, the Senate Committee deliberated on the existing disparity in charges for lab tests. Senator Mohsin Aziz, mover of the matter, stated that the price of several basic test varies in the market. For instance, the price of lipid profile test varies from Rs. 2400 to 2600 and same is the case with the Urine Test whose price varies from Rs.550 to Rs. 950. Officials informed that the Act doesn’t empower the regulator to control the prices of private sector; however the prices of tests are reflected on the website. Senator Anusha Rahman was of view that there should be benchmark for prices in all private sector laboratories. The Committee recommended that the ministry should make it obligatory for all the private sector laboratories to display the prices of tests in their laboratories.

The Committee heard the complaints of Doctors against the Executive Director of PIMS on the Charges of racism, nepotism, workplace harassment and misuse of Government power. A total of 26 doctors submitted their grievances, claiming that the Executive Director is the real hindrance to their promotions and allocation of residences entirely on the basis of racism and nepotism. However, the Executive Director PIMS refuted all the allegations. The Committee recommended that the ministry constitute a committee to probe the complaints and submit its findings before the Senate Health Committee.

Discussing the black marketing of Contrast Injections used for CT scans, officials of NHSRC informed that the product is available in markets and hospitals, and there is no such shortage of product in the market.

The Chairman of the Committee expressed displeasure over the absence of the Pakistan Nursing Council President and directed that her presence be ensured at the next meeting.

In attendance were Senators Palwasha Muhammad Zai Khan, Mohsin Aziz, Irfanul Haque Siddiqui ,Anusha Rahman Ahmad Khan, Syed Masroor Ahsan, Mohammad Humayun Mohmand, Fawzia Arshad, Consultant to Senate Standing Committee NHSRC Syed Muhammad Ali, Prime Minister Coordinator for National Health Services Regulations and Coordination Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath, Secretary for Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination (NHSRC) Nadeem Mahbub, President PMDC Dr. Rizwan Taj and other senior officials from relevant Departments.