ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services (NHS) on Thursday passed The Islamabad Compulsory Vaccination and Protection of Health Workers Bill 2015.

The bill was moved by MNA Zahra Wadood Fatemi and has already been passed by Senate. It now must be approved by the National Assembly and the president before it can become law.

The bill states that immunisation is the right of every child, and the state has a duty to ensure that immunisation services reach every child. It says immunisation has been recognised around the world as the most efficient and cost effective way to control and prevent diseases, and proposes making the immunisation of children compulsory and providing protection for health workers designated for immunisation programmes.

According to the draft, anyone who propagates through written or spoken word against vaccination or intimidates or obstructs a designated medical officer or health worker from performing the functions shall be liable to up to six months in prison, a fine of no less than Rs25,000 or more than Rs100,000, or both.

Children who are not fit for vaccination will have to submit a certificate from a designated medical officer stating that the child is not fit for the administration of the vaccine, and the certificate must mention the name of the disease because of which the child is unfit and whether the child is unfit for the vaccination for a certain period or for life.

If passed, the bill would make parents or guardians responsible for completing primary vaccination before a child reaches the age of six months. A union council or the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) will not be able to issue a birth certificate if a child’s vaccination information is not available. Once admitted to a school or seminary, those in charge of the institute would make sure the child has been vaccinated.

Every health facility would have to maintain vaccination records on a monthly basis, and can be inspected at any time by health inspection teams. Every individual will have to facilitate a health worker while performing functions under the act, and the federal government will make arrangements for the protection and security of health workers.

Although the committee passed the bill, MNA Nisar Ahmad Jatt pointed out that according to his information, polio cards needed for international travel are issued without vaccination. He suggested the ministry look into the matter and take the appropriate steps.

A large number of people are not concerned about vaccinating children, particularly in the country’s rural areas, leading to a high mortality rate in Pakistan as compared to

other countries. The bill, which was tabled in April 2015, could help save the lives of over 400,000 children who die of preventable diseases in Pakistan every year.

Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Bill

The NHS standing committee, chaired by MNA Khalid Hussain Magsi, also considered The Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health (Amendment) Bill 2017.

The mover of the bill, MNA Dr Nikhat Shakeel Khan, said the sale of loose cigarettes should be banned completely.

She said loose cigarettes are sold “everywhere” but hardly any action is taken against the practice. “The new generation will not start smoking is the sale of loose cigarettes is stopped completely, as it is easier to purchase a few cigarettes rather than a pack,” she said.

However, NHS Minister Saira Afzal Tarar said action against the sale of loose cigarettes is the responsibility of the Ministry of Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD).

The committee deferred the discussion after deciding to call CADD representatives to its next meeting.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2017