ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSR&C) Friday was informed that there are over 300,000 reported HIV cases in Pakistan, with only 87,000 diagnosed while currently 34,000 patients are being treated in different health facilities across the country.
The committee meeting held under the Chairmanship of Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani to review critical public health challenges, regulatory lapses in the private healthcare sector and policy bottlenecks affecting medical education and patient welfare.
The committee members expressed serious concern over the reported HIV cases in Pakistan and highlighted grave issues relating to identification of hotspots/red zones and alarming reports of HIV-positive newborns, particularly in Sindh and other areas of the country.
The Committee also directed the Ministry to urgently clarify whether reported cases of HIV-positive newborns constituted misinformation or ground reality, stressing the need for random testing, preventive measures and nationwide awareness campaigns.
Members also raised concerns over unsafe injection practices, reuse of syringes and unnecessary injections in private healthcare facilities, recommending a shift towards oral medication where feasible.
READ MORE: WHO, UNAIDS call for action: Pakistan witnessing ‘fastest growth of HIV epidemic’
The Ministry highlighted stigma, lack of awareness and unsafe medical practices as major contributors to the spread of HIV. The Committee emphasised the need to promote lifestyle medicine, preventive healthcare, public awareness and stronger regulatory oversight to reduce disease burden and healthcare costs.
The Committee discussed the validity of MDCAT results, vacant seats and seat-switching issues. PMDC stated that a window existed to fill remaining seats for the current session, though Members contested the reported number of vacant seats. PMDC proposed a 10 percent additional quota to accommodate students from previous years, while assuring that leftover seats after seat switching would be filled following Council approval. The Committee directed PMDC to formulate a clear, permanent policy in advance, amend the relevant provisions regarding MDCAT validity, and resolve recurring issues arising from difficult examination patterns and frequent seat vacancies. The Chairman urged PMDC to take an immediate decision at the Council level.
The committee decided to take up the Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council Ordinance, 2025 in detail in the next meeting. The Ministry was directed to submit a comparative analysis of the recent Ordinance and the previous Pakistan Nursing Council Act 2023 within three days, along with official notification details of its Council members. Members also stressed inclusion of expert opinion, private sector representation in future meetings for a more balanced approach.
The Committee expressed serious dissatisfaction over the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority’s (IHRA) performance. It was revealed that none of the private hospitals and dispensaries in Islamabad held a valid licence, despite IHRA’s establishment in 2018. Members highlighted the absence of a finalised licencing framework, lack of progress reports, weak inspection mechanisms and failure to enforce social welfare obligations by various private hospitals.
Serious concerns were raised regarding private hospital’s unregulated pricing, lack of charity care, detention of patients and dead bodies over unpaid bills, solid waste management, illegal clinics, unsafe abortions and pharmacy’s over-the-counter sale of medicines without prescriptions. Members also alleged harassment by IHRA inspection teams and conflicts of interest within the Board of Authority.
Private hospitals, including Shifa International Hospital, Farooq Hospital, Kulsoom Hospital and Quaid-e-Azam International Hospital etc, presented their positions. Farooq Hospital was appreciated for providing 35 percent welfare care and treating patients under the Sehat Sahulat Programme.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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