Unsafe syringes: PM for strictest action against manufacture

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday ordered an outright nationwide ban on the manufacture and use of substandard syringes, directing authorities to move immediately to halt what he described as a key driver in the spread of infectious diseases, including hepatitis and HIV/AIDS.

Chairing a review meeting on measures to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as AIDS and Hepatitis C, the prime minister also directed regulators and law enforcement agencies to crack down on hospitals, clinics and individuals involved in the use or supply of unsafe syringes, warning that criminal negligence in this regard would not be tolerated and would trigger legal action.

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The urgency of the directive from the prime minister underscores a long-festering problem: the country remains burdened with one of the world’s highest rates of hepatitis C, with contaminated injections repeatedly identified as a major vector of transmission.

The prime minister ordered the formation of a high-level committee of experts to urgently develop a comprehensive strategy to control infectious diseases, directing that provincial governments be fully taken on board in framing recommendations.

He directed the Ministry of Law and Justice, in coordination with relevant institutions, to immediately propose amendments to strengthen the legal and regulatory framework and close loopholes that have enabled unsafe medical practices to persist.

The premier said only a comprehensive national strategy could address the scale of the challenge, as fragmented measures had failed to contain the spread of infection.

To eliminate syringe-borne transmission of disease, the prime minister tasked the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) with engaging the medical devices industry and proposing strict policy measures for enforcement.

He also called for enhanced reliance on domestic production of medical equipment and stressed the need to ensure internationally standardized training for healthcare professionals, saying the system required urgent strengthening.

The prime minister underscored the need for international cooperation in ongoing efforts to contain infectious diseases.

During the meeting, participants were briefed on steps already taken by the special task force set up on the prime minister’s instructions, and by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination to contain the spread of infectious diseases.

The meeting was attended by Law Minister AzamNazeerTarar, Minister of State for Health Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath, Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Awan, Global Fund representative Izaskun Gaviria, public health experts, representatives of the Ministry of National Health Services, DRAP officials and senior government representatives.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026