The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination reviewed a range of health-sector challenges and made several policy recommendations aimed at strengthening regulation, protecting students’ interests, improving service delivery at public hospitals, and advancing preventive care. Committee members pressed regulatory bodies and Ministries to address examination access for foreign medical students, clarify honorarium rules, ensure drug quality, resolve infrastructure and staffing shortages, reform governance in professional councils, and support a nationwide cervical cancer vaccination drive.
The Committee, chaired by Dr. Mahesh Kumar Malani, examined follow-up recommendations on registration and examination access for foreign medical students. The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) decided against granting provisional licenses to foreign students but agreed to allow, as a one-time exception, students from institutions registered before enactment of the PMDC Act to sit the upcoming National Registration Examination (NRE). The PMDC indicated the exam portal will open one month before the test. The Committee also urged consideration of postponing the MDCAT on humanitarian grounds because of recent floods and forecasted heavy rains; the Ministry said the situation will be reviewed at month end and dates may be revised if necessary. Members recommended the PMDC revisit admission policies, rising private college fees and the growing emigration of medical graduates to better safeguard students’ interests.
Concerns over honorarium distribution at Polyclinic were raised, notably that para-medical staff had been excluded and that formal criteria for awarding honoraria had not been publicly notified. The Committee directed Polyclinic to submit detailed records of all employees who have received honoraria and the criteria applied. The Minister reported that updated honorarium guidelines for 2025 have been approved and will be implemented going forward. On contractual federal employees, the Ministry reassured members that no adverse actions have been taken and that it is compiling data on contractual staffing across ministries and departments.
The Committee flagged problems with medicine misuse and drug quality at facilities serving parliamentarians, and noted a semi-functional dental unit at Polyclinic. It directed the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to conduct comprehensive testing of medicines supplied at Polyclinic and PIMS, and recommended commissioning third-party audits of pharmacies and laboratories located near government hospitals in Islamabad to ensure compliance with quality standards.
Austerity and capacity shortfalls at primary care facilities were also highlighted. Members described the poor condition of Basic Health Units (BHUs) and Rural Health Centres (RHCs) in the Islamabad Capital Territory, shortages of doctors, and heavy patient loads at PIMS and Polyclinic. The Committee recommended formally linking BHUs and RHCs with major hospitals to reduce tertiary-level burdens and urged the Ministry to take an active role in resolving the long-pending King Salman Hospital matter through engagement with the Saudi government.
Governance concerns emerged regarding conflict-of-interest rules on the IHRA board of authority. While existing Regulation No. 13 requires members with a conflict to disclose it and refrain from voting, the Committee recommended amending regulations to allow for removal of any board member who has a conflict of interest.
The Committee held an extended discussion on problems at the Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council (PNMC), including the suspension of the PNMC Secretary and related arrests. Members emphasized the urgent need for a legal instrument to address governance weaknesses. The Minister said a draft ordinance has been vetted by the Law Ministry and will be shared soon; the Committee recommended the ordinance clearly define appointment and removal powers for the President and Secretary and ensure parliamentary representation from both Houses on the Council.
A detailed review of PIMS covered human resources shortages, medicine procurement practices, parking fee issues, and patient-care quality. The Committee expressed concern about alleged ghost employees, hygiene lapses, and the reported absence of senior doctors during emergencies, and directed that these matters be prioritized for corrective action.
The Ministry briefed members on an upcoming nationwide cervical cancer vaccination campaign targeting girls aged 9 to 14 and underscored the high mortality associated with late diagnosis in Pakistan. Committee members were urged to support awareness and social mobilization efforts, ensure inclusion of out-of-school girls, and use media platforms to increase coverage.
The Chairman thanked the Ministry and its attached departments for their efforts but stressed the need for urgent and sustained reform to improve health service delivery across the country. The meeting was attended by members of the National Assembly, including Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, Sabheen Ghoury, Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Farah Naz Akbar, Dr. Nikhat Shakeel Khan, Dr. Darshan, Aliya Kamran, Farukh Khan and Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz, along with the Minister for NHSR&C and senior officers from the Ministry and its attached departments.
