The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination on Thursday approved 'The HIV/AIDS (Safety and Control) Bill' unanimously and deferred two other bills after the debate. A meeting of the committee was held here in the committee room of the ministry under the chairmanship of MNA Khalid Hussain Magsi.
Mover of the HIV/AIDS Bill, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho said that HIV/AIDS has become a gigantic challenge for the world as it is causing a large number of deaths around the globe. She said the disease spreads rapidly in developing countries like Pakistan where there is a little awareness about it.
The bill says that HIV/AIDS test shall be mandatory prior to any marriage for the couple and test report of both the parties shall be included in the 'nikahnama' (marriage certificate) or a certificate to this effect shall be attached therewith.
It also says that ante-natal testing of pregnant women report of whom shall be submitted to the physician/surgeon involved in antenatal, postnatal care of woman. The test shall also be mandatory in high risk groups including immigrant workers returning to Pakistan, jail inmates, commercial sex traders, sex offenders, victims of crimes which have exposed them to risk of acquiring infection, habitual drug abusers, truckers and patients receiving repeated transfusions of blood.
Before a person undergoes the test for HIV/AIDS, a consent form, to be prescribed, shall be got signed by him, the bill says, making it necessary to ensure confidentiality of the tests.
The bill says that any person who negligently, wilfully or maliciously divulges directly or indirectly identifies and individual or individuals as having HIV/AIDS that results in economic, bodily or psychological trauma/harm to person or persons, he/she shall be punished by a jail period not extending beyond one year or a Rs 50,000 as fine or both plus court costs to be paid to the person or persons whose confidentiality has been breached.
The bill will become a law after the National Assembly and Senate pass it separately or in a joint sitting of the Parliament with a majority vote.
The committee also considered 'The Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Bill, 2016' in detail and mover of the bill MNA Parveen Masood Bhatti maintained that the human organ donations will give new lease of life to persons in need of such organs and tissues.
However, the committee deferred the bill and will consider it again in the next meeting. The committee also deferred 'The Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smoking Health (Amendment) Bill, 2017.'
The committee members expressed their satisfaction over compliance report on the issue of substandard/unregistered stents reportedly being used in private and public hospitals.
The committee chairman recommended that Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) should observe a strict check on permanent basis.
On issue of delay of salaries of the DRAP employees, the secretary of the ministry assured the committee members that salaries to all the employees will be paid within one month.