Family medicine: PMDC makes mandatory to establish separate depts

ISLAMABAD: In line with the World Health Organization (WHO) frameworks on family medicine, Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has made it mandatory for medical educational institutions to establish separate departments on family medicine. The move is a step forward toward promoting the concept, which is critical for strengthening Primary Health-Care (PHC) in the country. In this connection, a high-level meeting under the chairmanship of the PMDC President, Dr Rizwan Taj, was held here on Thursday to discuss and review the strategic role of family medicine in strengthening primary healthcare and advancing Pakistan’s progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The meeting was also attended by the Registrar PMDC, Dr Rehan Naqvi, along with representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), including Dr Saira Tariq, WHO Consultant, and Dr Naveed Asghar, Team Lead Health System Development, WHO Pakistan. The WHO positions family medicine as the clinical cornerstone of PHC and the most effective strategy to achieve UHC. These frameworks provide a blueprint to shift health systems from fragmented, disease-oriented care to continuous, patient-centered, and community-integrated services. Participants underscored the growing importance of family medicine in addressing Pakistan’s evolving healthcare challenges, including the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions, maternal and child health needs, and the healthcare demands of an ageing population. The committee reviewed the significant reforms introduced by the PMDC Council since its reconstitution under the leadership of Prof Dr Rizwan Taj. Key initiatives include the mandatory establishment of departments of family medicine in medical colleges with defined faculty requirements incorporated into accreditation standards, the integration of 75 teaching hours of Family Medicine into the undergraduate medical curriculum, the requirement for three outreach centers for all institutions, and the introduction of a three-year optional house job rotation pathway to strengthen primary care training and community-based healthcare delivery. These landmark measures reflect the PMDC’s commitment to developing a healthcare workforce equipped to provide comprehensive, continuous, and patient-centred care at the community level. The President of the PMDC reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to supporting initiatives that strengthen Family Medicine and enhance the quality of primary healthcare services across Pakistan. The WHO representatives emphasized the critical role of family medicine as a cornerstone of effective, equitable, and people-centred health systems worldwide. They also highly appreciated the leadership and contributions of Prof Dr Rizwan Taj and commended PMDC’s proactive reforms aimed at institutionalizing Family Medicine within Pakistan’s medical education and healthcare systems. Reiterating PMDC’s commitment to healthcare excellence, the President of the PMDC emphasized that strengthening Family Medicine remains central to building an accessible, equitable, and resilient healthcare system for Pakistan. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment between the PMDC, WHO, and key stakeholders to further advance Family Medicine and strengthen primary healthcare services nationwide. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

Read full story on Business Recorder