ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) on Thursday held a meeting to review the role of Family Medicine in strengthening Primary Healthcare (PHC) and supporting Pakistan’s progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The meeting was chaired by PM&DC President Prof. Dr. Rizwan Taj and attended by PM&DC Registrar Dr. Rehan Naqvi, along with representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO), including Dr. Saira Tariq, WHO Consultant, and Dr. Naveed Asghar, Team Lead Health System Development at WHO Pakistan.
Participants discussed the growing importance of Family Medicine in addressing Pakistan’s healthcare challenges, including the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases, mental health issues, maternal and child health concerns, and the healthcare needs of an ageing population.
During the meeting, the committee reviewed reforms introduced by the PM&DC since its reconstitution under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Rizwan Taj. These include the mandatory establishment of Family Medicine departments in medical colleges, inclusion of faculty requirements in accreditation standards, integration of 75 teaching hours of Family Medicine into the undergraduate medical curriculum, establishment of three outreach centres by medical institutions, and the introduction of an optional three-year House Job rotation pathway aimed at strengthening primary care training.
Officials said these measures are intended to develop a healthcare workforce capable of providing comprehensive and community-based healthcare services across the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Dr. Rizwan Taj reaffirmed PM&DC’s commitment to supporting initiatives that strengthen Family Medicine and improve the quality of primary healthcare services nationwide.
WHO representatives highlighted the importance of Family Medicine as a key component of effective, equitable and people-centred healthcare systems. They also appreciated the leadership of Prof. Dr. Rizwan Taj and acknowledged PM&DC’s efforts to institutionalize Family Medicine within Pakistan’s medical education and healthcare framework.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment between PM&DC, WHO and other stakeholders to further advance Family Medicine and strengthen primary healthcare services across Pakistan.
