Islamabad : The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination, chaired by Senator Amir Waliuddin Chisti, met at Parliament Lodges. The meeting began with a briefing on the composition, functioning, and operations of the Ministry of National Health Services. The Ministry officials provided an overview of key initiatives and programs, stating that their strategy involves working within a multi-framework approach to achieve smooth results. During the briefing, the Sehat Sahulat Programme, which offers free health insurance to families living below the poverty line of US$2 per day, was thoroughly discussed. The committee members noted that a significant portion of Pakistan’s population lives below the poverty line. Senator Muhammad Humayun Mohmand suggested that the ministry focus on managing this vulnerable segment of the population.
While briefing on Polio Eradication Initiatives, the Secretary of the Ministry of National Health Services informed that, with Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq as the coordinator of this initiative, the work is progressing efficiently, and results will be apparent by next year. However, there are challenges, such as Afghan repatriation, and the first health dialogue with the Afghan government is set for September of this year. On the positive side, the Afghan government has already initiated training and house campaigns.
Furthermore, the new policy framework and the Prime Minister’s initiative of the Quaid-e-Azam Health Tower, to be established in Islamabad with a focus on super specialties, research, and medical education, was also extensively discussed among committee members. The Secretary of NHSRC explained that the funds allocated this year are for feasibility studies, and after detailed planning, the project will proceed.
The committee members, while stressing the importance of health in Pakistan, also discussed the number of registered doctors in the PMDC, noting that 30,000 to 40,000 doctors are not practicing. Senator Muhammad Humayun commented that there are a significant number of ghost colleges in Pakistan. Moreover, the committee members underscored the issue of certification and Continuing Medical Education (CME), unanimously agreeing to update CME every 10 years.
The Secretary of NHSRC informed that there is a shortage of around one million nurses in Pakistan. Alongside these challenges and workforce shortage issues, access to healthcare in rural areas was also discussed. He added that funds are required to revamp the ministry’s operations. The condition of hospitals such as the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) was also highlighted among the committee members; suggestions were made to refurbish PIMS for better healthcare access. It was informed that a 7.4 billion project has been approved and will be completed in three years.
In attendance were Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan, Senator Abdul Qudoos, Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan, Senator Liaqat Khan Tarakai, Senator Muhammad Humayun Mohmand, Senator Rahat Jamali, Senator Mohammad Abdul Qadir.
