Existing rules, regulations: Health ministry directed to ensure effective implementation

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination has directed the health ministry to ensure effective implementation of the existing rules and regulations instead of introducing new institutions, saying dysfunctional institutions are the root cause of the problems which cannot be removed by the introduction of new institution.

The committee meeting held here under the chairmanship of Khalid Hussain Magsi to discuss new proposed legislation regarding the establishment of ‘The Islamabad Healthcare Facilities Management Authority Bill, 2021,’ ‘The Pakistan Nursing Council (Amendment) Bill, 2021’ and ‘The Pakistan Allied Health Professionals Council Bill, 2021 (Government Bill).’

The committee while discussing The Islamabad Healthcare Facilities Management Authority Bill, 2021 in detail, decided to review the draft of the bill, therefore, the bill was deferred for the next meeting.

The panel also deferred further discussions on The Islamabad Healthcare Facilities Management Authority Bill, 2021 for the next meeting.

The committee expressed serious anger over the non-implementation on the recommendations made by the committee by registrar the Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC), and said that in case, the PNC failed in implementing the issues raised by the committee members till the next meeting, serious action in accordance with the rule will be taken against the concerned officials.

PNC Registrar, while briefing the committee said the council was trying to introduce higher nursing education in the country to provide better facilities in the hospitals but owing to the shortage of qualified staff has failed to do so.

The official further said now the council, in collaboration with the other stakeholders has decided to make a mechanism in this regard, which will be presented before the panel in the next meeting.

The committee also directed the Nursing Council to submit the complete list of registered colleges along with the detail of the MSN degree holders in the next meeting of the Committee.

The committee also discussed ‘The Pakistan Nursing Council (Amendment) Bill, 2021’ and ‘The Pakistan Allied Health Professionals Council Bill, 2021’ and directed the ministry to incorporate the amendments by consulting the stakeholders, therefore, the Committee deferred, ‘The Pakistan Nursing Council (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (Government Bill)’ and ‘The Pakistan Allied Health Professionals Council Bill, 2021 (Government Bill)’ till its next meeting.

However, while discussing the ‘The Islamabad Healthcare Regulations (Amendment) Bill, 2021’ moved by Dr Mahreen Razzaq Bhutto, unanimously passed the said bill as introduced in the National Assembly.

The Committee deferred, “The Islamabad Injured Persons Compulsory Treatment Bill, 2021” (moved by Syed Agha Rafiullah, MNA) till its next meeting.

The Committee was briefly apprised by the ministry about the provision of risk allowance to the health workers.

The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health while briefing the committee said that a list of 12,000 employees was forwarded to Finance Division but due to some objections, it was returned back. He assured the Committee that in the next week, the risk allowance would be given to all 12,000 employees of federal health institutions.

The meeting was attended by Dr Haider Ali Khan, Nasir Khan Musa Zai, Jai Parkash, Muhammad Afzal Khan Dhandla, Dr Nousheen Hamid, Aliya Hamza Malik, Dr Zille Huma, Fozia Behram, Professor Shahnaz Naseer Baloch, Nisar Ahmed Cheema, Mukhtar Ahmad Malik, Dr Samina Matloob, Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani, and Dr Mahreen Razzaq Bhutto.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021