Insulin Shortages, Discount Drug Fears, and Antibiotic Alarm: Parliament Takes Health System to Task

Insulin Shortages, Discount Drug Fears, and Antibiotic Alarm: Parliament Takes Health System to Task

Nadeem Tanoli

Islamabad: A session of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Health exposed critical cracks in Pakistan’s healthcare supply chain, with lawmakers warning that shortages of life saving medicines, doubts over discounted drugs, and unchecked antibiotic misuse are pushing the public health system toward a dangerous tipping point.Chaired by Mahesh Kumar Malani, the committee confronted officials over persistent shortages of diabetes medicines and insulin, alongside erratic availability of specific brands. Members demanded full disclosure of which medicines are unavailable, which are being supplied at discounted rates, and whether quality is being compromised in the process. Serious concern was raised over a 69 percent discount on medicines provided to parliamentarians, with members openly questioning whether cheaper prices are coming at the cost of safety.Officials confirmed that drug samples had been collected from the Parliamentarians’ Dispensary and from PIMS for laboratory testing, with reports to be shared with the committee. The Minister assured lawmakers that pharmaceutical companies and relevant entities would be summoned for a detailed explanation, signaling that the issue is far from closed.The committee also questioned whether the massive discounts offered under federal hospital pharmacy tenders are actually benefiting ordinary patients or remaining confined to institutional procurement. The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan clarified that inspections are ongoing in coordination with ICT authorities and that procurement follows PPRA rules, but members warned that regulatory compliance on paper does not always translate into relief for patients on the ground.Beyond immediate shortages, lawmakers turned their attention to what they described as a silent health emergency: the overuse of antibiotics and the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. The Minister warned that excessive antibiotic use in livestock is accelerating resistance in humans, calling it a long-ignored crisis with potentially catastrophic consequences. The committee supported a shift from “sickness care” to preventive and lifestyle medicine, directing that lifestyle education be pushed into medical curricula through the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council and broader education syllabi.The meeting also brought a decisive turn in nursing sector reforms. With the promulgation of a new nursing and midwifery framework, lawmakers were informed that the earlier Pakistan Nursing Council law now stands repealed. The Ministry of Law confirmed that the new ordinance will be laid before the National Assembly, while the Minister assured that long-standing concerns of the committee would be addressed once the reconstituted council begins work. In light of these developments, the committee formally disposed of the pending nursing amendment bill, marking a legal reset for nursing governance.Amid the scrutiny, the Health Services Academy received rare praise. Its leadership briefed the committee on training programs for in-service doctors, collaboration with United Nations agencies, and progress on One Health initiatives. However, the discussion quickly turned pointed as members grilled the academy on admissions transparency, faculty recruitment, budget constraints, plagiarism controls, use of artificial intelligence, and representation from Balochistan. The academy pledged to provide full documentation and defended its processes as merit-based and rule-compliant.A tense exchange followed over HIV testing surveys, availability of testing kits, and transparency of findings. Lawmakers stressed that public trust depends on clear, coordinated reporting rather than fragmented data. The academy’s leadership warned that misinformation campaigns by private interests are actively attempting to discredit public institutions and said it would pursue all available channels to counter what it described as deliberate defamation.By the close of the meeting, the committee’s message was unmistakable: medicine shortages, quality concerns, and regulatory gaps are no longer technical issues they are matters of public survival. Lawmakers demanded tighter coordination between the Ministry and its attached departments, timely sharing of verified data, and concrete action instead of assurances. The warning was clear: if accountability does not improve, the cost will be paid not in committee rooms, but by patients who cannot afford shortages, substandard medicines, or delayed reform.