NA panel approves 'The Transplantation of Human Organ and Tissues (Amendment) Bill, 2019'

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination, Friday unanimously passed 'The Transplantation of Human Organ and Tissues (Amendment) Bill, 2019'.

The NA Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination, meeting was held under the chairmanship of Member National Assembly (MNA) Khalid Hussain Magsi to discuss bill related to 'the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Bill, 2019' moved by Kishwar Zehra.

After discussing the various pros and cons of the bill in detail, the committee members passed the bill unanimously. The Committee further discussed the bill 'the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill, 2020' moved by Nusrat Wahid, MNA, in detail.

After detailed deliberations on the bill, the committee also unanimously passed the 'Mental Health (Amendment) Bill, 2020'. The committee also discussed the alarming situation of population growth in the country. The committee decided to formulate a policy on population growth under the supervision of the federal government and also take provincial governments onboard in this regard.

The committee also directed the PEMRA to ask national broadcasters and private television channels to launch a programme once in a week on population growth for the awareness of the general public. They further urged the media to play due role in creating awareness on the subject of ever increasing populations and problems related to it.

Committee members, while discussing the matters related to significant population growth said that it was not only creating residential, transportation, education, health, social, economic, employment, unemployment, and industrial issues but also the surge in the population during the last two decades, especially in urban areas, the cities are running out of land for burial purposes.

The member said that the government in collaborating with private institution could create awareness among the masses on the matter of ever increasing population as with current economic situation the country was unable to provide jobs, educational, health and services to the workforce.

The members acknowledged that population can be used as a top resource but for which all the stakeholders will have to devise and implement joint strategy. Otherwise, the country will face serious problems, they maintained.

Stressing the need for more facilities in urban areas, they have expressed dismay over slackness of the authorities, which have not demarcated land for a new graveyard in most of the cities including federal capital since 2001.

They said exponential growth of population and mushrooming housing societies in the cities had increased the demand for more educational institutions, health facilities, industries, services, and food.

The meeting was attended by Nasir Khan Musa Zai, Dr Seemi Bukhari, Fouzia Behram, Dr Nisar Ahmed Cheema, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Malik, Dr Darshan, Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani, Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, Ramesh Lal, Shamsun Nisa besides the movers, Kishwar Zehra and Nusrat Wahid.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020