Dr Muhammad Zaeem Zia, Chief Executive Officer of the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority, met with chief executives and representatives from multiple medical laboratories to accelerate the adoption of digital registration and licensing and to strengthen service delivery across the city. The briefing focused on rolling out IHRA laboratories’ digital systems designed to improve transparency, speed processes and provide greater ease for patients and providers alike.
Dr Zia highlighted that digitization of IHRA laboratories will support consistent quality assurance and clearer public access to licensed services, while also streamlining compliance for operators. He described a structured inspection mechanism now being strengthened with trained assessors who have been finalized and will be deployed to the field to support routine oversight.
The authority informed participants that inspection teams are now equipped with body-worn cameras to enhance accountability. In the past 21 days IHRA teams visited approximately 900 healthcare establishments, sealed more than 100 quackery outlets and held hearings in 135 enforcement and complaint cases, illustrating an active crackdown on unqualified practice alongside support for legitimate IHRA laboratories.
Minimum Service Delivery Standards for laboratories have been approved and are due to be notified soon; Dr Zia urged strict adherence to these standards to ensure patient safety and consistent test quality. He also called on laboratories to consider reasonable relief in test pricing for the public while maintaining high technical and ethical standards.
During an open forum, laboratory representatives outlined operational challenges and welcomed a continuing dialogue with IHRA. Several issues were addressed on the spot through constructive discussion, and representatives recognized IHRA as a professional, competitive regulator that provides an accessible authority and a dedicated forum for laboratories to raise concerns.
Concluding the meeting, Dr Zia reiterated that IHRA laboratories will be supported through facilitation alongside regulation, and he urged cooperation from the sector to fulfil the Authority’s mandate of delivering safe, quality healthcare services to the public across Islamabad and surrounding areas.
