ISLAMABAD: Pakistan faces a shortage of about one million nurses and as many as 30,000 to 40,000 doctors registered with the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) are not practising medicine, as per a briefing provided to the Senate Standing Committee on Health on Monday.

According to a press release issued by the Senate Secretariat after the meeting, the panel met in the federal capital with Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti in the chair.

The meeting discussed the state of healthcare, and anti-polio efforts, and took stock of the programmes launched by the health ministry.

During the meeting, Senator Muhammad Humayun said that there was a significant number of “ghost colleges” in Pakistan. Moreover, the committee members underscored the issue of certification and Continuing Medical Education (CME), unanimously agreeing to update the certificate every 10 years.

Health dialogue between Pakistan, Afghanistan planned for Sept

The panel also discussed the condition of hospitals, such as the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) in Islamabad. The committee members said the state-run hospital should be “refurbished” for better healthcare access. The senators were told a Rs7.4 billion project had been approved and would be completed in three years.

Likewise, the Senate panel was told that feasibility studies for Quaid-i-Azam Health Tower to be established in Islamabad would be conducted this fiscal year. The planned health tower which aimed to focus on research and medical education was discussed among committee members in detail. “The secretary of the National Health Service Regulations and Coordination explained that the funds allocated this year are for feasibility studies, and after detailed planning, the project will proceed,” said the statement.

Pak-Afghan polio efforts

Moreover, Pakistan and Afghanistan will kick start their maiden health dialogue in September this year, as both countries struggle to eradicate poliovirus for a host of reasons, the Senate panel was informed.

According to the health ministry, the performance of the polio eradication initiatives was efficient and results would be visible by the next year. The secretary, however, acknowledged challenges to the anti-polio efforts, such as the repatriation of Afghan refugees among other things.

The official, however, apprised the committee that the Afghan had already initiated training and campaigns against the disease, which the official described as a positive step.

During the briefing, the Sehat Sahulat Programme, which offers free health insurance to families living below the poverty line of $2 per day, was also discussed. The committee members noted that a significant portion of Pakistan’s population lives below the poverty line. Senator Muhammad Humayun Mohmand suggested that the ministry focus on managing this vulnerable population segment.

At the outset, the meeting began with a briefing on the composition, functioning, and operations of the Ministry of National Health Services. The officials provided an overview of key initiatives, stating that their strategy involves working within a multi-framework approach to achieve smooth results.

Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan, Senator Abdul Qudoos, Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan, Senator Liaqat Khan Tarakai, Senator Mohammad Humayun Mohmand, Senator Rahat Jamali, Senator Mohammad Abdul Qadir, and officials of the health ministry and the PMDC attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2024