ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services (NHS) on Tuesday unanimously passed the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissue (Amendment) Bill 2021, requiring the National Database and Registration Authority to display the consent of potential donors on their national identity card.

Whereas the Prime University of Nursing Sciences and Technology (PNUST) Islamabad Bill 2021 was referred to the Nursing Council and the Higher Education Commission for further deliberation.

The meeting of the committee was chaired by PTI Senator Dr Mohammad Humayun Mohmand at the Parliament House.

Senators pass human organs amended bill unanimously; NHS secretary says setting up university no solution to meet shortage of nurses

The committee passed the private member’s ‘Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissue (Amendment) Bill 2021’ moved by Senator Khalida Ateeb.

It stated that on account of accidental deaths while driving on motor vehicles, active human organs after clinical death may be transplanted to persons in need of such human organs or tissues by procuring one’s consent on the national identity card or the driving licence. The bill was passed unanimously so that such a donation may give a new lease of life to a person in need of it.

The objective of the Prime University of Nursing Sciences and Technology (PNUST) Islamabad Bill is to increase the number of nurses and midwifes. However, the health ministry said the establishment of a university would not meet the objective of the bill.

“Universities should not be established on private members’ bill,” stated the secretary Ministry of National Health Services, adding that establishing a university was not the solution to meet the shortage of nurses in the country.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan admitted the significant shortage of nurses characterised by more physicians than nurses in the country.

“The current production trend of more doctors than nurses every year implies a widening gap. The government is taking practical measures like upgradation of salaries and providing awareness and improving social status to curb this discrepancy,” he added.

The matter was referred to the Nursing Council and the Higher Education Commission for further deliberation.

The committee on NHS raised a question on the use of Botox injection cosmetic treatment by beauty salons without having the relevant specialisation and licensing in the field.

Senator Dr Zarqa Suharwardi Taimur said show-cause notices had been served on female aesthetic specialists (having international certification) by Pakistan Medical Board saying they were using specialisation titles with their names. However, there was no accountability on the unbounded use of Botox injection treatment by parlours in Islamabad, she added.

The committee also proposed the practice of aesthetic medicine by medical practitioners/professionals and awarding them the relevant diplomas’ degrees/licences by Pakistan Medical Commission/Islamabad Health Regulatory Authority for practicing aesthetic medicine as a specialised and recognised field of medical practice. The committee believed that it will prevent the misuse of unlicensed aesthetic treatment by beauty salons, endangering thousands of people now suffering the consequences of the practitioners’ lack of experience.

The matter pertaining to the observance of a hunger strike by students in Balochistan due to unjustified policies by Pakistan Medical Commission in terms of their admission also stood resolved.

Another matter related to the Basic Health Units (BHUs) and hospitals in rural areas of Islamabad with the number of paramedical and non-paramedical staff was deferred for the next meeting.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2022