ISLAMABAD: Members of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services on Wednesday visited the laboratory of Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) and showed annoyance over substandard facilities there.

A meeting of the committee was held in the same National Health Laboratory in Chak Shahzad. The members also visited various sections of the lab and were shocked to see the unhygienic condition and substandard facilities there.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan briefed the committee members about the functioning of the lab. It was stated that the lab was involved in trials of Covid-19 vaccine.

Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Rubina Khalid said the standard of facilities being given to the masses depended on the performance of Drap, adding that the committee members were ready to facilitate the staff of the lab.

Senator Sardar Shafiq Tareen said there were a number of officers in the National Institute of Health (NIH) who had been holding more than one charge at the same time. He suggested that the institute should expedite the process of recruitment on vacant posts.

Senator Dr Zarqa Suharwardy asked about the instruments available in the laboratory, on which she was told that the details would be provided soon.

The committee chairman, Dr Hamayun Mohmand, said the committee would keep a check on the lab and hoped that it would improve its performance within six months.

He said it was the first visit of the committee and directed the lab authorities to provide audit report in the next meeting.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2021