Saudi Arabia de-recognises Pakistani PG medical programmes; hundreds of medics affected

Saudi Arabia has de-recognised postgraduate medical degree programmes of Pakistan and asked several Pakistani doctors in the kingdom to be ready to leave or be deported, according to a media report on Wednesday. The Saudi Ministry of Health said the Pakistani medical programmes lacked structured training, which is mandatory to hire medics in high positions, the Dawn newspaper said in a report.

Hundreds of medics are affected by the decision. Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain are also following the Saudi government's move to de-recognise Pakistani medical programmes, the report said.

Most of the affected Pakistani doctors were hired by the Saudi Health Ministry in 2016 when it conducted interviews in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, it said. "Your application for professional qualification has been rejected. Reason is that your master degree from Pakistan is not acceptable according to the SCFHS regulations," read the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties' (SCFHS) letter.

One of the affected medics told the Dawn that the same degree programme offered by India, Egypt, Sudan and Bangladesh was being accepted in Saudi Arabia and other countries, becoming a cause of embarrassment for them.