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LAHORE, Dec 31 (APP): Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique has announced that the newly developed curriculum will be implemented in all government and private medical and dental colleges across Punjab, terming it a major step toward improving the quality of medical education in the province.
He was addressing as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the new MBBS and BDS syllabus held at the University of Health Sciences (UHS) on Wednesday. The minister said that, on the instructions of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, discipline has been ensured in medical institutions, adding that medical universities and colleges in the province are performing commendably.
During the ceremony, the final version of the MBBS Modular Syllabus 2K23 was officially launched, while the second version of the BDS Integrated Syllabus 2K25 was also inaugurated. Khawaja Salman Rafique formally launched the curricula by pressing a button on the laptop, making them available on the UHS website.
Addressing the gathering, the provincial health minister said the work carried out by the university was not a short-term effort but an investment for generations. He described the participants as “legends” and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to work alongside them. Highlighting the need for strong emergency care, he stressed the importance of proper training of medical students and praised Vice Chancellor UHS Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore for working strictly in line with policy.
Khawaja Salman Rafique reiterated that improvement in the health sector is the top priority of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. He said the Punjab government has taken historic initiatives, including the Chief Minister’s Children’s Heart Surgery Program, Kidney and Liver Transplant Program, Dialysis Program, Clinic on Wheels, and Field Hospitals. He added that major health projects are under way, including the Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research and the Jinnah Institute of Cardiology in Lahore, the Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cardiology in Sargodha, and new children’s hospitals in Bahawalpur and Rawalpindi, while the Sahiwal Institute of Cardiology has already been opened to the public.
The minister further stated that recruitment is being carried out for thousands of positions, including medical officers, women medical officers, fellows, consultants, nurses, and paramedical staff in newly constructed hospitals. He emphasized that providing quality healthcare facilities at the doorsteps of the people remains the top priority of the Punjab government. He also congratulated the UHS vice chancellor on the successful launch of the new curricula.
The approval of the new syllabi was granted in a joint meeting of the UHS Syndicate and the Boards of Studies for Medicine and Dentistry. Registrar UHS Kiran Fatima presented the resolution for approval, which was subsequently signed by the conveners of the boards, the chairman of the syndicate, and the minister for specialized healthcare. Along with academic content, special emphasis has been placed on professionalism and practical skills. Principals of medical and dental colleges termed the launch a historic milestone.
The ceremony was attended by Vice Chancellor UHS Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore, Vice Chancellor Fatima Jinnah Medical University Prof. Khalid Masood Gondal, former health minister Prof. Javed Akram, Vice Chancellor King Edward Medical University Prof. Mahmood Ayaz, former chief secretary and chairman board Captain (retd) Zahid Saeed, Vice Chancellor University of Child Health Sciences Prof. Masood Sadiq, Prof. Rashid Latif, Prof. Nadia Naseem, Principal Allama Iqbal Medical College Prof. Tayyaba Waseem, Principal Services Institute of Medical Sciences Prof. Zohra Khanum, and principals of government and private medical colleges in large numbers.
Dr. Zahid Pervez, Justice (retd) Sheikh Ahmed Farooq, Prof. Majeed Chaudhry, Prof. Shehla Javed Akram, Dr. Khalid Rahim, Prof. Sameera Ehsan, and Prof. Arshad Cheema were also present.
It was informed that after three years of continuous stakeholder consultation, the new MBBS curriculum was finalized with the participation of around 700 faculty members. Special attention was given to faculty capacity building, while the curriculum has been designed in line with international standards and national requirements. For the first time in Pakistan, such a large number of stakeholders were involved in the preparation and continuous review of a medical curriculum.
Former health minister Prof. Javed Akram, in his remarks, said he shared a long-standing and cordial relationship with Khawaja Salman Rafique.
Vice Chancellor UHS Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore said the Punjab government fully supported the development of the new curriculum. He noted that the World Health Organization had emphasized the need to reform medical curricula as early as 1997, and in 2025 this goal has finally been achieved. He added that, besides MBBS and BDS, curricula for nursing and postgraduate programs have also been revised, and the introduction of the clerkship model would significantly enhance the quality of medical training.