ISLAMABAD:Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination on Tuesday unanimously approved 36 ongoing projects after a detailed discussion.
The committee meeting, which was chaired by Dr. Humayun Mohmand, decided to visit the ongoing projects in August this year to learn about the status after completion.
Earlier, a detailed discussion was held regarding the scrutiny of the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) proposed by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination for the next financial year 2023-2024.
The committee was briefed in detail on the status of various projects under PSDP, including cost, duration, throw forward, and projected demand. However, the officials from the ministry concerned remained unable to satisfy the panel with its proposed 14 new projects for the year 2023-2024.
The chairman expressed displeasure over the non-provision of the details of the new projects and asked the ministry to provide the list of projects priority-wise with full details in the next meeting.
The committee members while thoroughly discussing the proposed projects gave their suggestions and recommendations pertaining to schemes of the ministry.
The committee was informed about the schemes related to the installation and operation of MRI machines in different government hospitals in the capital. It was told that the scheme related to the installation of an MRI machine worth 1.5 million US dollars at the National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (NIRM) will be completed by June 30, 2023.
Dr Humayun Mohmand expressed annoyance over the delay in the installation of the MRI Machine at the National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine.
Representatives from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Science (PIMS) also apprised the committee that the MRI will be functional in March next month while at the Federal Government Polyclinic hospital, the MRI will become operational in two months in view to upgrading the Radiology Department at Polyclinic with the assistance of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Federal Drug Inspector Sardar Shabir briefed about the project of strengthening the Drug Control Section and ensuring the provision of quality medicines to the residents of ICT while the Director General Health, Dr Baseer Achkzai briefed the committee about the project of tackling Malnutrition induced stunting in Pakistan, strengthening and upgradation of the nursing and midwifery sub-sector within the health sector in Pakistan and Prime Minister’s Hepatitis-B,C and D programs to eliminate Hepatitis.
Dr Humayun Mohmand approved these four projects with the consultation of committee members with some reservations. He said the committee will review the performance of projects within a year.