The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination convened under the Chairmanship of Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti to deliberate on key legislative, policy, and administrative matters pertaining to the health sector.
The Committee considered the Private Member’s Bill titled “The National Population and Reproductive Health Bill, 2026”, reviewed issues relating to the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) and vacant posts in medical and dental colleges, examined population growth and its impact on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH), and discussed the proposed Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) budget of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination for the Financial Year 2026-27.
The meeting was attended by Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan, Senator Rubina Khalid, Senator Anusha Rahman Ahmad Khan, and Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri.
The Standing Committee disposed off the private member’s bill titled “The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (Amendment) Bill, 2025” owing to absence of mover of bill in three consecutive meetings of the committee. Moreover, the committee deferred the discussion on the private member’s bill titled “The Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (Regulation) Bill, 2025” on the request of mover.
While discussing the National Population and Reproductive Health Bill, 2026, the Committee expressed serious concern over the rapid population growth and its adverse implications for national resources, employment opportunities, and public services. Members emphasized the need for a comprehensive and uniform national policy to effectively address population growth. The Ministry of National Health Services raised technical objections to the Bill, citing the existence of a Federal Task Force (FTF) on population. However, the Secretary Health Services acknowledged the intent of the Bill and informed the Committee that the Federal Task Force is currently non-functional, whereas Provincial Task Forces continue to operate due to the devolved nature of the subject.
The Chairman underscored that unchecked population growth, coupled with a shrinking job market, poses a serious socio-economic challenge. Upon the suggestion of the mover of the Bill, the Committee unanimously decided to convene a joint meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services and the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights. Representatives of all political parties, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, provincial governments, and the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) will be invited to participate in a comprehensive debate on the Bill. The Committee also recommended that population should no longer remain a criterion for determining the share of federating units under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.
The Committee further objected to the exclusion of public representatives from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) Board and stressed the need for meaningful public representation in the regulatory body. The Committee was briefed on the conduct and outcomes of the recent MDCAT examination. Members raised concerns over the admission criteria, particularly the 50 percent weightage assigned to MDCAT, terming it unfair due to the limited preparation time compared to intermediate education. While the Committee was informed that the existing weightage is prescribed under an Act of Parliament, it decided that the Act would be reviewed. It was also apprised that vacant seats in private medical colleges in Punjab and Sindh will be filled following the announcement of the next merit list, and that no vacant seats exist in other parts of the country. The Chairman recommended abolishing the current MDCAT weightage formula and aligning admission criteria with international best practices.
The Committee was also briefed on population growth trends and their impact on MNCH indicators. Members expressed displeasure over the prolonged delay in conducting the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS), last carried out in 2017. The Director General (Population) informed the Committee that, in light of the Federal Government’s rightsizing initiatives, the survey will now be conducted by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), with preparatory work in its final stages.
The Committee urged authorities to formulate comprehensive awareness strategies on reproductive health, particularly targeting illiterate women. It further proposed the establishment of a Population Fund under the Population Commission, with sustainable revenue streams, including incentives for the pharmaceutical sector such as reduced sales tax on contraceptives and mandatory sectoral contributions. The Chairman directed the Secretary Health Services to ensure that the PDHS is conducted on an urgent basis.
The Committee also reviewed the PSDP budget proposals of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination. It was directed that the next meeting of the Committee will be held at Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore, to discuss issues related to the revival and improvement of hospital services.