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Fact-check: It’s true. Pakistan has cancelled the medical licensing exam for doctors

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The federal government has cancelled the national licensing test that medical graduates had to take in order to legally practice in Pakistan, claimed social media users and media reports.

The claim is true.

Claim

“The federal government has abolished the mandatory licensing exam for medical graduates,” wrote a Twitter account on February 12. “Now every student will automatically receive a license upon graduation.”

The tweet had been viewed over 17,000 times, at the time of writing.

Fact

A press release issued by the government-run Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) on February 10 confirmed that medical graduates are no longer required to sit for the National Licensing Examination (NLE).

“As promised by the Federal Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel, the PM&DC has started issuing permanent registration certificates from February 8 to doctors, who graduated from Pakistan medical and dental colleges, without the requirement of the National Licensing Examination,” the statement read.

The PM&DC adds that this was a long-standing demand of the medical community.

The press release, however, stated that students who have completed their undergraduate degrees from foreign universities will still have to sit for the National Registration Examination.

Hina Shaukat, the chief public relations officer at the PM&DC, told Geo Fact Check over the phone, that this was already the practice [prior to 2020].

“They [the students] were selected and checked through a proper procedure before they were registered. They did not have to sit for the NLE exams then,” she explained, “As they had come from colleges that are already recognised.”

Then in September 2020, the PM&DC was replaced by the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) by the then Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government through an act of the parliament. Under the new law, the exam was made mandatory for Pakistani medical students to obtain a license.

“Students were protesting against the NLE test,” Shaukat said, “Because students were saying that we already have to sit through a number of comprehensive tests like the Medical & Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) before graduating.”

Why was the NLE introduced?

Dr Faisal Sultan, who was the special assistant to the prime minister on health in 2020, defended the decision to roll out the NLE.

“In a country with well over 100 medical colleges in half a dozen provinces/territories, it is crucial that new graduates are able to demonstrate a uniform level of capability and skill,” he wrote on WhatsApp, in response to Geo Fact Check.

“This can be accomplished by a uniform national licensing exam which is done in a reliable and reproducible way,” he went on, “Not only does this provide confidence in the individual that is about to be given a license is a safe doctor, but is also a very sensitive method to judge the academic standards of the colleges.”

The doctor further explained that the exam was taken at the end of five years to, in a way, inspect the educational standards of medical colleges.

“There have often been colleges with a great variety and range of quality between them,” Sultan added, “The consumer deserves to be given a reassurance of a minimum level of competence.”

Sultan also said that even advanced countries, with good universities, like the United Kingdom or United States of America often require a national or single exam for licensing.

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“Apni Chhat.Apna Ghar”: Punjab’s Chief Minister Examines a House Under Construction

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Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif visited a home in Kot Lakhpat, Lahore, constructed under the “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar” Loan Scheme.

To give the home owner furniture, CM Punjab gave the order.

The walls on the three-marla plot have been finished, and the roof-laying process has begun.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif gave Subia Munir a roof and gave a check for the second installment of the house’s development.

Maryam Nawaz was happy to be able to offer the home owner her warmest wishes on this particular occasion.

She stated that every citizen has the right to own a home and that the government is dedicated to helping those in need.

Information and Security Minister Uzma Bukhari, Housing Minister Bilal Yasin, Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb, and other officials attended the event.

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148 X-ray machines have been allotted to the provinces as part of the comprehensive measures taken to eradicate tuberculosis. This is Dr. Mukhtar.

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TB is being eradicated across the country, according to Dr. Mukhtar Bharath, who is the Coordinator to the Prime Minister on National Health Services. He has stated that efforts are being implemented that are both coordinated and effective.

For the purpose of diagnosing and eliminating tuberculosis, he stated in a statement that 148 X-ray equipment had been allotted to the provinces.

133 X-Ray machines have been delivered up to this point, according to him, and the process of distributing the remaining devices is currently underway and will be finished in the near future.

Dr. Mukhtar Bharath stated that these equipment are going to be deployed in hospitals that provide services for the detection and treatment of tuberculosis that are available.

In order to strengthen the primary health care system, he says that all of the essential actions are being taken.

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Speech Made by Pakistan’s Prime Minister on the International Day Against Poverty

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In renewing our commitment to a world where no one is left behind and where possibilities for success are unrestricted by one’s origin or circumstances, Pakistan stands together with the global community on this International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. In addition to being morally right, ending poverty is essential to attaining sustainable development and guaranteeing everyone’s peace and prosperity.

The people have always been the center of every policy made by our government. We have significantly reduced poverty and made sure that our most vulnerable residents are taken care of thanks to our social safety net programs. We think that providing long-term routes to economic empowerment is equally as important as providing instant relief when it comes to assisting people in escaping poverty. Our focused initiatives seek to equip communities—women and children in particular—with the means to create better futures for themselves.

The Pakistani government is steadfast in its commitment to improving the affordability of living for its citizens despite the obstacles we face on a global scale, such as inflation and economic instability. Our policies are designed to build long-term economic resilience, from meeting housing needs to guaranteeing food security. With the help of programs like the PM Youth Business, Agriculture Loans, Digi-Skills, which offers free IT training, and the Pakistan Education Endowment Fund, millions of families are receiving financial support and technological help that is changing their lives.

Eradicating poverty is also a top priority for Pakistan, which is still fully committed to reaching the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With a focus on inclusive growth, education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability, we will keep working together with our international partners to achieve these goals. The advancements made in empowering women and guaranteeing that their contributions are essential to the country’s social and economic fabric are another reason for pride.

On this day, I would want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who is devotedly striving to end poverty, both in Pakistan and globally. We can create a future where everyone, regardless of circumstances, has the chance to flourish and succeed by uniting with a shared purpose and unwavering determination.

I speak on behalf of the Government of Pakistan to reiterate our steadfast commitment to this cause and to extend an invitation to all facets of society to work with us to create a world that is more wealthy, just, and inclusive.

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