Senate Committee unanimously passes Private Member’s Bill ‘Pakistan Opportunistic Screening and Treatment of Hypertension Bill,2023’

ISLAMABAD, Aug 31 (SABAH): Meeting of Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination was held here at Parliament House on Thursday with Senator Dr. Muhammad Humayun Mohmand in the chair.

The Senate Committee unanimously passed the Private Member’s Bill titled “The Pakistan Opportunistic Screening and Treatment of Hypertension Bill,2023”. However, the ministry opposed the bill, stating that there is no need for this mandatory screening and the facility is already being provided to patients at hospitals.

Senator Sania Nishtar, mover of the bill, emphasized that the bill is introduced in the larger public interest, as it could prevent hundreds of thousands of death could be avoided by following this practice.

Furthermore, the Committee deliberated on the Private Member’s Bill titled “The Islamabad Capital Territory Injured Persons (Medical Aid) bill,2023”, introduced by Senator Prof. Dr. Mehr Taj Roghani. The Committee recommended that the bill should be put forward as an Amendment Bill.

While discussing the matter of hefty fees being charged by Dow Medical College Karachi in US dollars, officials apprised that 10 to 15 pc quota has been designated for foreign students in medical colleges and these students are obligated to pay their fees in US dollars. The committee directed that the details of ‘Foreign Students’ should be provided for Dow International Medical College instead of Dow medical College.

The Senate body was briefed on the passing percentage of ‘National Registration Examination’ held on 6th August. Officials informed that pass percentage of NRE1 exam is around 3.96% as 2729 candidates participated in test and only 108 candidates have passed. Senator Rubina Khalid pointed out that NRE exam is permanent feature of PMDC, which has to be held twice a year, and it has failed to organize a schedule of the said exam.

She further added that PMDC has increased the passing score from 50 to 70 pc without providing any sufficient ground. The Committee directed to reconsider the passing criteria by keeping in view the General International Practice.

Moreover, as to matter of malfunctioning of the AC system in OPD, Emergency ward and Children OPD in PIMS and Polyclinic Hospital resulted in the death of patients. The issue was raised by Senator Kamran Murtaza and Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmad, and was reported in Daily Dawn on 25th June. Officials reputed the allegations, stating that no casualties resulted due to malfunctioning of the AC system.

They further highlighted that a project worth Rs. 725 million was approved in 2018, with an estimation completion period of two years, for the upgradation of AC system in PIMS but unfortunately, the project hasn’t been completed so far. The project is under execution of Pak PWD and it is designed and supervised by consultancy firm M/S. International Consultant (Pvt) Ltd. The committee decided to invite the officials of Pak PWD and consultancy firm in the upcoming meeting.

The meeting was attended by Senator Prof. Dr. Mehr Taj Roghani, Senator Dr. Zarqa Suharwrdi Taimur, Senator Sana Jamali, Senator Rubina Khalid, Senator Jam Mahtab Hussain Dahar, Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, Senator Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen, Senator Kamran Murtaza and other senior officers of health ministry and relevant departments were also in attendance.