Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, chaired by Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti, convened today at Parliament House to deliberate on key national health issues, including The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill, 2025, the ongoing polio eradication campaign, and the performance of the National Council for Homeopathy (NCH). The Committee emphasized the need to protect public interest and ensure that essential medicines remain affordable while balancing investor confidence and fair business margins. Reviewing the compliance report from the Ministry of National Health Services, the Committee urged that any increases in production costs or wages must be adequately justified and called for enhanced transparency and efficiency in the pricing process through oversight of SCR activities and RandD initiatives.
Discussing The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill, 2025, Senator Dr. Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur appreciated the Committees work and agreed to align with its recommendations. The Minister for National Health Services cautioned that abrupt regulatory changes could destabilize the pharmaceutical sector and highlighted the importance of coherence in reforms. Chairman Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti noted that the proposed amendments would have nationwide implications and called for a balanced, consultative approach. The Minister assured the Committee that all stakeholders, including the incoming administration, would be engaged in shaping a comprehensive reform plan.
On the issue of polio eradication, Senator Masroor Ahsan expressed concern over the viruss persistence despite repeated vaccination campaigns. The Minister informed the Committee that poor sanitation, hygiene gaps, and contaminated sewage water³particularly in Karachi, Lahore, and southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa³continue to hinder eradication efforts. He added that vaccination drives alone cannot succeed without addressing environmental factors. Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti stressed the need for collective responsibility and local-level accountability, underscoring that immunization must be supported by social, religious, and administrative coordination to combat misinformation. The Chairman recommended that district Members of Parliament create and share awareness videos in regional languages to promote public trust and strengthen the campaigns outreach.
The Committee also reviewed the performance of the National Council for Homeopathy (NCH), focusing on curriculum reforms, research promotion, and action against fake practitioners. Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti emphasized swift implementation of reforms and warned that the Committee would revisit the issue in its next meeting if progress was not made. The Minister assured prompt action, while the Chairman reiterated that a stronger regulatory framework was vital to uphold standards in homeopathic education and safeguard public health.
Among those present were Senators Dr. Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur, Rubina Khalid, Samina Mumtaz Zehri, Anusha Rahman Ahmad Khan, Dilawar Khan, Syed Masroor Ahsan, the Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, and senior officials from the concerned department.