Former health advisors, officials recommend advisory role for healthcare professionals serving abroad
M. Waqar Bhatti
Islamabad: Former health advisors and officials have recommended an ‘advisory role’ for healthcare professionals serving abroad instead of reserving ‘permanent seats’ in the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) council and the advisory board of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan.
The advisory role can be assigned to the representatives from the Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America (APNNA), former health ministers, PMDC officials, and health experts said.
Lauding the contribution of Pakistani healthcare physicians serving abroad, especially those associated with the APNNA, they said Pakistani professionals serving abroad undoubtedly did a lot for Pakistan while they could also do a lot more for the improvement of healthcare and medical education but they couldn’t be assigned permanent role in the statutory regulatory bodies in Pakistan.Favoritism Exposed: Health Ministry Shakes Up NIH Recruitment
Currently on a visit to Pakistan, a large delegation of APPNA office-bearers and members led by its President Dr. Arshad Rehan is lobbying for their representation in the medical education and drug regulatory authorities as well as their role in the healthcare policy-making while they are also influencing authorities for elevating some medical colleges to the status of medical Universities.
“The government needs to develop a framework through which the medical diaspora should be able to contribute to the health sector development in the country. Indeed diaspora feel the pain of underdevelopment of the health sector and precarious health conditions that the people of Pakistan are living through”, Dr. Zafar Mirza, former Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on health said.
Dr. Zafar Mirza maintained that physicians and surgeons associated with APNNA indeed have useful experience and resources that they can contribute but added that to optimally benefit from them, the government should identify the needs and they should contribute accordingly.
“Engagement with medical diaspora should not be haphazard but thoughtful, apolitical, and systematic. The government should set up a committee consisting of some members of the diaspora as well as some senior local medical practitioners and policymakers to work out a cooperation framework.
It makes no sense to me to give them an undefined “role” in health policy making, PMDC, and DRAP”, Dr. Mirza added.
Another former SAPM Dr. Faisal Sultan was also in favour of ‘guidance’ and ‘help’ from highly trained and qualified overseas Pakistani professionals, saying their role can be advisory on committees and sub-committees, for curriculum development and other best practices.
“But I’m also not in favour of a formal role (of overseas Pakistanis) in the governance of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) etc.”, he added.
Even an APPNA member, Dr Asim Shah who is a professor at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston Texas feels that physicians in the USA can play a role as an advisory group but not as regulators as they don’t live in that country and live abroad.
“APPNA members’ expertise can be used in the advisory capacity for cutting edge technology, innovation and integration of healthcare with newer technologies and approaches”, Dr. Shah, who is an academic himself and past president of APPNA local chapter as well as past chair of APPNA local chapter board of trustees in Texas, added.
Former President of the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) Dr. Arshad Taqi also said APPNA could be involved in advisory committees for medical education and other areas in healthcare, adding that APPNA office-bearers and members could contribute as members of oversight committees.
“Their experience in designing and conducting performance audits will be valuable. But I would be weary of involving them in operational work that is best left to the persons on the ground”, Dr. Taqi added.
Another former council member of the PMC said instead of lobbying for permanent seats in the statuary regulatory bodies in Pakistan, APPNA should instead be advocating for independent regulators like GMC rather than wanting a seat on a captive regulatory body.
“An independent regulator will engage APPNA and all other bodies wanting to help because there won’t be vested interests or jealousies”, the former PMC official added.
