'No bias in medical colleges admissions'

'No bias in medical colleges admissions'
Karachi: Minister for Health Dr Sagheer Ahmed told the Sindh Assembly on Friday that the seats for admission in Dow Medical College (DMC), Sindh Medical College (SMC), Karachi, or in any medical college of the province have not been reserved on the basis of language, ethnicity, race or religion.

However, in the year 1995-96 a total of 598 merit seats were allocated for DMC and SMC, of which 39 candidates from LMC (Liaquat Medical College) and 24 from CMC (Chandka Medical College) were admitted at DMC and SMC, respectively.

Responding to a question by Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto, the minister said that in 2006-07, the number of seats for rural Sindh candidates was reduced to 30 because in the year 1999 seats allocated for DMC and SMC were reduced from 598 to 426 by the Health Department. Consequently, the syndicate of Dow University reduced the seats for rural Sindh candidates from 63 to 30.

When Bhutto asked was not it an injustice with the students of rural Sindh, the health minister said that the number of seats was reduced on the recommendations of PMDC (Pakistan Medical and Dental Council). However, it was reviewed in the year 2008, he added.

Responding to identical question by Dr. Abdul Sattar Rajpar, the minister said that there was no discrimination in allocating medical seats and added that in the year 2008 the number of seats in DMC and SMC was increased on reciprocal basis. Keeping in view this situation, he said, a medical college in Lyari has been established where 100 seats have been reserved. Sagheer said that the seats for each district have been reserved on the order of Sindh High Court.

In response to a question by Khalid Ahmed, the minister said that there was no urban-rural division in the allocation of medical seats rather the seats were being allocated on the basis of population.

When PPP's Dr Ahmed Ali Shah said that the reduction of seats in DMC and SMC was being perceived in rural Sindh as discriminatory, Dr Sagheer Ahmed said this could be an opinion of anyone. He said that the seats were reserved on the order of SHC keeping in view the population. The health minister said that the medical colleges of the province have a total of 1,000 seats for rural Sindh and 700 seats for urban centres.

He said that in Lyari Medical College, around 15 seats have been reserved for the residents of Lyari and 10 each for the residents of Keamari, Malir and Gadap.

Jam Tamachi Unnar said that Grade-20 doctors were more interested to be associated with foreign-funded health projects instead of performing their duties at the local hospitals and suggested that they should be sent to rural health centres, to which Dr Sagheer Ahmed admitted that senior doctors were interested in lucrative posts. He said that this was a good suggestion.