UHS, PHC ink MoU for family medicine certification  

The University of Health Sciences (UHS) and the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly launch a six-month Certificate in Family Medicine (CFM) programme aimed at enhancing the clinical skills of general practitioners and improving the quality of primary healthcare services across the province. 

The MoU was signed by Vice Chancellor UHS Prof Dr Ahsan Waheed Rathore and Punjab Healthcare Commission Chief Executive Officer  Dr Muhammad Saqib Aziz at UHS.

Head of the Department of Family Medicine, Prof. Dr. Uzma Jabeen, and Director Clinical Governance PHC, Dr. Mushtaq Ahmed, witnessed the signing ceremony. 

Under the agreement, the two institutions will collaborate to design, develop and deliver a structured Certificate in Family Medicine for general practitioners working across Punjab.

The initiative aims to strengthen primary healthcare through evidence-based clinical practice, supervised hands-on training, emergency skills certification, patient safety, quality improvement and community-oriented healthcare delivery. 

The six-month competency-based programme will include supervised clinical training at UHS-affiliated teaching hospitals and accredited healthcare facilities, interactive learning sessions, case-based discussions, workplace-based assessments and clinical portfolio evaluation.

Participants will also undergo internationally recognized emergency skills certification courses, including Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Life Support (ALS), First Trauma Response (FTR), Emergency Triage Assessment and Treatment (ETAT), Neonatal Resuscitation Programme (NRP), and Emergency Obstetric Response and Maternal Life Support (EOR/MLS). 

As part of the collaboration, UHS will develop the curriculum, conduct academic and clinical training, manage admissions and examinations, and award the Certificate in Family Medicine to successful participants.

The Punjab Healthcare Commission will provide technical expertise in quality assurance, patient safety, clinical governance, infection prevention, and implementation of the PHC Regulatory Framework, besides participating in faculty development and Training of Trainers (ToT) programmes. 

Speaking on the occasion, UHS VC Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore said the programme would help equip general practitioners with modern clinical competencies and standardized practices, ultimately leading to better healthcare outcomes for communities across Punjab.

He added that strengthening family medicine is essential for building an efficient and responsive primary healthcare system.

PHC CEO Dr. Muhammad Saqib Aziz said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to improving healthcare quality through continuous professional development of frontline physicians.

He noted that the initiative would promote compliance with minimum service delivery standards and contribute to safer, more effective patient care throughout the province.