ISLAMABAD: The Standing Committee of National Health Services has supported the suggestion of further taxation on unhealthy products such as those high in trans-fats, presented by NGO Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH).
The committee meeting held here on Friday under the chairmanship of Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani also agreed that the revenue from these taxes allocated to public health and nutrition programmes. It further recommended that the ministry support this initiative and will ensure collaboration with the relevant stakeholders, including the Ministry of Science and Technology, the PSQCA, and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
The meeting discussed crucial issues related to ongoing health projects, proposed budgets and health reforms aimed at improving public health services across the country. Turning to financial matters, the ministry presented a detailed report on the allocated and proposed funds for ongoing projects under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the year 2025-26.
The allocated amount for the fiscal year 2024-25 was Rs24.75 billion, with releases amounting to Rs13.829 billion. The committee stressed that 100 per cent utilisation must be ensured to meet the health sector’s goals in a transparent manner.
Additionally, members, unanimously, agreed that no new projects should be initiated till the completion of ongoing initiatives. A focus on maintaining high-quality standards and timely delivery was underscored, with members to provide feedback on the quality of health projects in their respective constituencies in future.
The committee also addressed the “One Patient One ID” initiative, aimed at digitalising healthcare services to streamline patient identification and medical records. The secretary of health services confirmed that equipment had already been installed at several hospitals, including PIMS, NIRM, TB Hospital and Polyclinic, with further extensions planned by June 30, 2025.
A detailed presentation on the progress on the initiative will be provided at the next meeting. One of the key discussions of the meeting focused on non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are a leading cause of death in Pakistan. PANAH (Pakistan National Heart Association) proposed a policy for addressing NCDs, urging the government to prioritise public health and raise awareness about the role of diet in preventing these diseases.
The meeting was attended by MNAs, Dr Nikhat Shakeel Khan, Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Dr Darshan, Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, Nisar Ahmed, Sabheen Ghoury, Aliya Kamran, Shahram Khan, Dr Amjad Ali, and Farah Naz Akbar.
The secretary Ministry of Health Services along with senior officers from the Ministry of NHSR&C and its attached departments also attended the meeting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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