ISLAMABAD: Every year, 35pc of pregnancies end due to abortions and other complications, the head of the Department of Gynaecology at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) said on Friday.

While briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services (NHS), Dr Nasira Tasneem said statistics for 2012 showed that 2.2 million abortions were carried out in Pakistan.

According to estimates, almost 20pc of pregnancies end in abortions every year, she said.

The briefing was arranged on behalf of the Ministry of Capital Administration and Development Division.

Dr Tasneem said that according to a study, ‘Post-abortion care in Pakistan: a national study’ conducted by the Population Council in 2012, nearly 700,000 women in Pakistan faced complications because of unsafe abortions which were done spontaneously (on instructions of gynaecologists) or with the will of the couples.

The study highlighted that the current law in Pakistan permitted abortion to save a woman’s life and provide “necessary treatment.” Due to these legal restrictions and a lack of clarity among women and healthcare providers in interpreting the law, women are forced to seek abortions by untrained providers, she added.

After the briefing, Khalid Hussain Magsi, the chairman of the committee, expressed disappointment over the situation and said five years were wasted and the committee could not do anything to address public issues.

“Unfortunately, most of the debates could not reach conclusions due to which policies could not be finalised. Because of a lack of policies, common people suffer more as the elite class has many ways out.”

Mr Magsi said proper healthcare facilities could not be provided to the citizens even in the federal capital.

“In Islamabad, health institutions are being controlled by three ministries. One can imagine what would be the condition in other regions of the country,” he said.

Minister NHS Saira Afzal Tarar said the healthcare facilities in Islamabad were the worst compared to undeveloped areas of the country because health institutions were controlled by more than one controlling authorities in the federal capital.

“That is why we have suggested establishing a Federal Health Authority to control all the health institutions in the capital. I have talked to the prime minister who has promised to look into the issue.”

She suggested raising a point of order in parliament to ascertain under which ministry the healthcare institutions are working.

Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani said the condition of healthcare institutions can never be improved unless they were controlled by one authority.

The committee recommended that all the health institutions should be placed under the Ministry of NHS.

Two bills deferred

The committee decided to defer “The Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Bill” moved by MNA Parveen Masood Bhatti and “The Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Bill” moved by MNA Dr Nikhat Shakeel Khan to the next meeting.

Published in Dawn, September 9th, 2017