ISLAMABAD: The Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination (NHSR&C) Friday reviewed the progress of the “One Patient One ID” initiative, a key project aimed at digitalizing healthcare services to streamline patient identification and medical records across Pakistan.
During a meeting held at Parliament House, Islamabad, under the Chairmanship of Dr. Mahesh Kumar Malani, officials from the Ministry of NHSR&C confirmed that equipment for the initiative had already been installed at major hospitals, including PIMS, NIRM, TB Hospital, and Polyclinic, with further expansions planned by June 30, 2025. The committee was informed that a detailed progress report on the initiative would be presented in the next meeting.
The meeting also discussed financial matters related to ongoing health projects under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for 2025-26. The ministry reported that Rs. 24.75 billion had been allocated for the fiscal year 2024-25, with Rs. 13.829 billion already released. The committee stressed the importance of 100% utilization of allocated funds and unanimously agreed that no new projects should be initiated until the completion of ongoing initiatives. The members emphasized the need to maintain high standards and timely delivery of healthcare projects, with members expected to provide feedback on health project quality in their respective constituencies.
A major discussion point was the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which remain a leading cause of death in Pakistan. The Pakistan National Heart Association (Panah) presented a policy proposal urging the government to prioritize public health measures to combat NCDs.
The Panah advocated for taxation on unhealthy food products-particularly those high in trans fats-and recommended that revenue generated from such taxes be allocated to public health and nutrition programs. The committee expressed strong support for the proposed taxation policy and recommended collaboration between the Ministry of NHSR&C, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to ensure its effective implementation.
The meeting was attended by MNAs Dr. Nikhat Shakeel Khan, Ms. Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Dr. Darshan, Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, Mr. Nisar Ahmed, Ms. Sabheen Ghoury, Ms. Aliya Kamran, Shahram Khan, Dr. Amjad Ali, Ms. Farah Naz Akbar, and Azim ud Din Zahid Lakhwi (virtually). The secretary of the Ministry of NHSR&C along with senior officers also participated in the session.
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