ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services on Monday sought data from the National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (NIRM) on patients treated and budget use over the last five years.
The committee members voiced concerns that “those who can afford it get facilities, while the rest are left with the same fate.”
The committee held a meeting, chaired by Senator Aamir Waliuddin Chishti, at Parliament House to review healthcare governance, rehabilitation services, medical regulation and public health policy. Senators Syed Masroor Ahsan, Nadeem Bhutto and Sarmad Ali attended the meeting. Minister for Health Mustafa Kamal and the health secretary were also present.
The executive director NIRM told the committee that the institute provides rehabilitation services, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and treatment for persons with disabilities. Established in 1998 when Islamabad’s population was 1.94 million, NIRM now serves to the capital with a population of 3.5 million with patients also coming from other provinces.
PMDC tells committee that licences of 114 doctors suspended over complaints
“NIRM was allocated Rs641.879m, of which about 70 per cent has been utilised so far. While treatment is free for many patients, certain categories are charged under applicable procedures,” the ED said.
Senator Masroor Ahsan raised concerns over equitable access. The committee asked for the fee structure and how much patients were being charged.
Senator Nadeem Ahmed sought data on patients treated in the last five years and a breakdown of budget utilisation over four years.
The committee directed the ministry and NIRM to submit comprehensive data on patient treatment, service delivery, financial use and institutional performance.
Minister Kamal said about 11,000 women die from pregnancy-related complications every year. “No other country in the world has such a large number of mothers dying during pregnancy,” he told the committee.
On the cervical cancer vaccine rollout, the minister said: “The cervical cancer vaccine has been launched with great difficulty in Pakistan.” He added that resistance was faced during the awareness campaign with schools and parents withdrawing support at certain stages. “This case was a simple one, WHO gave green signals,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council briefed the committee on disciplinary proceedings. Members were told that 498 complaints had been registered with the PMDC disciplinary committee so far. Licences of 114 doctors have been suspended following proceedings.
Officials said licences of several doctors involved in illegally performing caesarean sections had also been suspended. The committee sought a complete list of suspended doctors and details on disciplinary actions, implementation status and pending cases.
Vape regulation bill sent to ministries
The committee took up the Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (Regulation) Bill, 2025, moved by Senator Sarmad Ali to regulate the sale and use of vaping products, particularly among minors.
“I want children under the age of 18 not to use vapes,” Senator Sarmad said. He told the committee that the bill had been sent to the ministries of law and finance after objections over financial implications.
Senator Kamal said private members’ bills with financial impact must go to the cabinet as per Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs’ instructions. He said enforcing vape regulations would require testing mechanisms. “We will have to build a laboratory for testing vapes.”
It is worth mentioning that Pakistan’s first dedicated vaping survey “Vaping Voices” has been launched at National Press Club.
Chief Executive Officer Endit Foundation Dr Ziauddin Islam, while speaking at a press conference, shared the findings of the survey in which 1,710 current or recent vape users were interviewed.
He said the study documented how thousands of smokers were quietly using electronic cigarettes to reduce or escape their dependence on combustible tobacco without formal support structures of any kind, and in a regulatory environment that offers them neither guidance nor protection.
Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2026
