ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services (NHS) on Thursday raised concerns about “beauty tips” given on morning television by personalities who are not part of the health sector.

NHS Minister Saira Afzal Tarar blamed the courts for issuing stay orders in the event of action against morning shows and other health-related television programmes.

Senator Mian Ateeq Sheikh said bodybuilders and actresses have been hired for morning shows during which they give viewers strange beauty tips.

In one example, he said: “They grind bitter gourd, cucumber, tomatoes and many other things and suggest the audience apply it on their faces. Some of them claim these are their grandmothers’ tips, and others say they inherited them. My maid [used] one of these tips and her face was burnt.”

Mr Sheikh said his wife had asked him to take up this matter in the standing committee meeting because people were suffering due to these tips.

Senators concerned by beauty tips given by personalities who are not part of health sector

He said: “Unfortunately, a number of actresses who have nothing to do with the medical field, have been giving beauty tips during morning shows, and no one takes action against them.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) should take notice of such programmes and stop them, as those giving the tips are not doctors.”

He added that every morning a “macho man” appears on television and gives tips on how one can become beautiful. He said these people have solutions for every medical issue.

The committee chairman Senator Sajjad Hussain Turi agreed with Mr Sheikh’s comments and said tips are also given in the name of herbal products. He directed the ministry to take notice of this issue.

Although the NHS minister agreed that beauty tips from irrelevant personality were concerning, she said whenever action is taken stay orders are issued that make it impossible to proceed.

PMDC employees’ letter

During the meeting, Senator Sheikh raised the current controversy surrounding employees of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC).

He said the matter was highlighted in the print media and the problem would be exacerbated if immediate measures are not taken to streamline the working of the council.

The committee directed the NHS ministry to look into the issue and find out what is going on in the council.

PMDC employees wrote a letter to the acting registrar expressing concerns and a lack of confidence in various officials and members of the departmental promotion committee, asking for the committee to be reconstituted.

The letter claimed the 2012 Employees’ Rules were not being implemented by the committee, adding that the committee allowed private sector job candidates to submit documents past the last date of submission, thereby making ineligible candidates eligible. The letter also objected to a committee decision to upload the seniority list to the PMDC website, even though this is not covered by the law.

Committee head Dr Amir Bandesha, however, said employees cannot write such letters because according to the rules, employees cannot form a union.

The acting registrar, Dr Azhar Ali Shah, has also written a letter – available with Dawn­­ – to the president of the council claiming some elements are not allowing him to work and asking the president to relieve him of his post.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2017