MDCAT has been made mandatory for admission to government medical and dental colleges in Punjab under a new policy approved by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz during a special meeting on healthcare reforms.

The new policy also fixes a $10,000 fee for children of overseas Pakistanis appearing in Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT).

As per the procedure, candidates placed on the provisional merit list for private medical colleges will be required to deposit one-third of the tuition fee with the University of Health Sciences (UHS).

Once the final merit list is issued, UHS will transfer the fee to the relevant college, after which the remaining amount will be paid directly by the candidates to the institutions.

The meeting also approved a proposal requiring postgraduate trainees in private hospitals to serve a mandatory term in their relevant specialties, with trainee doctors to be sent for specialization in associated fields at private colleges.

CM Maryam expressed satisfaction over the first successful angioplasty at the Sahiwal Cardiac Centre and called the start of surgeries there a “positive step.”

She also directed Mayo Hospital to establish a transparent procedure for ablation treatments.

In order to save resources, the government decided against constructing separate new medical colleges, instead agreeing to establish medical blocks within public universities.

CM Maryam reiterated her commitment to provide free treatment for poor patients across Punjab and said that every cancer patient must be given access to proper medical care.

She also instructed authorities to accelerate work on establishing Nawaz Sharif Medical City.