The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination reviewed a range of health-sector concerns, focusing on shifting from reactive sick care toward preventive health services, strengthening regulation and governance, and improving service delivery at major public hospitals and primary care facilities. The committee addressed student licensing and exam access, honorarium and contractual worker issues, drug quality and audits, primary care shortages, governance reforms for regulatory bodies, and a nationwide cervical cancer vaccination campaign.
The committee revisited its earlier recommendations on registration of foreign medical students for the National Registration Examination (NRE). The Ministry reported that the medical regulatory authority had decided against issuing provisional licenses to foreign students but would permit a one-time exception for students from institutions registered before the relevant act to sit the upcoming NRE. The authority will open the examination portal one month prior to the test. Members also discussed requests to postpone the MDCAT exam on humanitarian grounds because of recent flooding and forecasted adverse weather; the Ministry said the situation will be reviewed and dates adjusted if necessary. The committee urged the regulator to review admission policies, rising private college fees and the growing emigration of medical graduates to better protect students’ interests.
Committee members raised concerns about the honorarium policy at the Polyclinic, noting para-medical staff had been excluded and that criteria for awards had not been formally notified. The Polyclinic was instructed to provide a detailed roster of honorarium recipients and the criteria applied. The Ministry said updated honorarium guidelines have been approved and will be implemented going forward. On contractual staff across the federal government, the committee was assured no adverse actions have been taken; the Ministry is collecting data on contractual employees across ministries and departments.
Drug quality, misuse of medicines and pharmacy operations were also examined. The committee directed the Drug Regulatory Authority to conduct rigorous testing of medicines issued at the Polyclinic and PIMS and recommended third-party audits of pharmacies and diagnostic labs near government hospitals in Islamabad to ensure standards and curb malpractice.
The committee expressed serious concern over the deteriorating condition of basic health units and rural health centres in the capital territory, a shortage of doctors and the heavy patient load at PIMS and the Polyclinic. Members recommended integrating BHUs and RHCs with major hospitals to reduce tertiary care burdens and improve referral pathways. The long-standing issue of King Salman Hospital was flagged for active follow-up, and the Ministry was urged to engage with the Saudi government to resolve outstanding matters.
Governance and conflict-of-interest issues were highlighted for several bodies. The committee reiterated that IHRA board members must disclose conflicts and abstain from voting under existing regulations, and it recommended amending rules to allow removal of board members who have conflicts of interest. The Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council’s governance crisis, including the suspension of its secretary and subsequent arrests, prompted calls for urgent legal reform; the Ministry said a draft ordinance has been reviewed by the Law Ministry and will be circulated. The committee recommended the ordinance clearly define appointment and removal powers and include parliamentary representation from both houses.
A comprehensive review of PIMS identified human resource shortages, concerns about medicine procurement and distribution, parking fee policy, hygiene lapses, alleged ghost employees and the absence of senior doctors during emergencies. The committee directed hospital management to address these issues as a priority to safeguard patient care quality.
The Ministry briefed members on a forthcoming nationwide cervical cancer vaccination campaign targeting girls aged nine to fourteen, emphasizing the role of vaccination and early detection in reducing deaths from late diagnosis. Committee members were urged to support awareness and social mobilization efforts, ensure out-of-school girls are included, and use media platforms for outreach.
The chairman acknowledged the efforts of the Ministry and its attached departments while stressing the need for urgent and sustained reforms to improve health service delivery across the country. The meeting was attended by committee members and senior officials from the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination and its attached departments.
