Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination convened at Parliament House under the leadership of Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti to deliberate on significant legislative proposals aimed at enhancing healthcare policy, medical regulation, and mental health reform.
The meeting witnessed participation from prominent senators, including Mohammad Humayun Mohmand, Irfan-ul-Haque Siddiqui, and Saleem Mandviwalla, among others, alongside Minister for NHSR and C Mustafa Kamal and senior ministry officials.
The session began with the examination of the “National Institute of Health (Reorganization) (Amendment) Bill, 2024,” introduced by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla. Emphasizing the absence of a centralized cancer data registry in Pakistan, Mandviwalla advocated for the bill’s potential to establish a national cancer registry. Minister Kamal confirmed the bill’s submission to the Ministry of Law and Justice for legal review and outlined plans for a unified health ID card system in collaboration with NADRA. The Committee unanimously passed the bill.
Attention then turned to the “Mental Health (Amendment) Bill, 2025,” introduced by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, who stressed the urgent need for postnatal mental health care protocols following a tragic incident in Nawabshah. Minister Kamal concurred on the necessity of standardized guidelines for mental health professionals, leading to the Committee’s unanimous approval of the bill.
Senator Mohsin Aziz’s “Islamabad Healthcare Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2025” was discussed next, focusing on inconsistent diagnostic test pricing and the need for regulatory intervention. While supporting the senator’s concerns, the Committee decided to defer the bill for further examination.
The Committee also reviewed the “Pakistan Psychological Council Bill, 2025,” proposed by Senator Kamran Murtaza, recommending its referral for legal vetting.
Former Deputy Chairman Senate Mirza Muhammad Afridi raised the issue of reduced medical seats for FATA students and called for the restoration of the original seat allocation. Minister Kamal assured the Committee of plans to address the concern, confirming 333 seats have been earmarked for the next academic year.
Senator Chishti concluded the session by commending the Ministry’s efforts and recommending further discussion on PMDC student examination regulations at the Committee’s next meeting.