ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services on Monday showed concerns over certain positions are still lying vacant in the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims).

In order to enhance the proficiency of the hospital, the committee recommended filling the vacant positions at the earliest.

The meeting was chaired by Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani and attended by Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz, Ms Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Ms Farah Naz Akbar, Dr Darshan, Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam, Ms Sabheen Ghoury, Dr Nikhat Shakeel Khan, Dr Amjad Ali Khan, Mr Nisar Ahmed (via zoom), Dr Azimuddin Zahid Lakhvi (via zoom) and Ms Aliya Kamran MNAs attended the meeting. The Coordinator to Prime Minister on Health Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Malik also attended the meeting.

Executive Director Pims Dr Rana Imran Sikander briefed the committee regarding working and performance of the hospital.

The committee recommended filling the vacant positions at the earliest.

The committee deferred the bills titled “Pakistan Nursing Council Amendment Bill, 2024”, “Pakistan Medical and Dental Council Amendment Bill, 2024”, “Islamabad Health Care Regulation Amendment Bill, 2024” and “the Pharmacy Amendment Bill, 2024” due to absence of movers.

The cwhile taking briefing regarding the rehabilitation centres in Islamabad instructed the Ministry to provide detail of rehabilitation centers in Islamabad, which were sealed and desealed.

The Committee also asked the ministry to carry out audit of existing rehabilitation centres to identify whether psychiatrists were available in the centers or not.

Committee also pointed out that the cases of polio were increasing in the country and decided to invite all the stakeholders for making suitable plans to eradicate polio.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2024