The Punjab government has decided to establish new medical and dental colleges through a public-private partnership (PPP) model, according to a report by 24NewsHD TV channel on Wednesday.
A four-member committee has been appointed to oversee this initiative, with former Health Minister Dr. Javed Akram serving as the chair.
The committee includes Professor Ahsan Waheed Rathore, Vice Chancellor of the University of Health Sciences (UHS); Professor Al Farid Zafar, Principal of General Hospital; and Professor Zahra Khanum, Principal of SIMS.
This decision is in response to the unchecked proliferation of private medical and dental colleges in Punjab over recent years.
According to the Health Department, 40 private medical colleges were established across the province without proper needs assessment, resulting in an uneven distribution of human resources.
The newly established committee has been tasked with developing a model for the creation of these medical colleges under the PPP framework. The committee is expected to submit its recommendations within 10 days. This initiative aims to ensure a more equitable and strategic allocation of medical education resources across the province.