Islamabad: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has suspended the licences of 114 doctors through disciplinary proceedings, including practitioners accused of illegally performing Caesarean section procedures, the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services was informed on Tuesday.
During a briefing to the committee, officials said a total of 498 complaints had so far been registered before the PMDC Disciplinary Committee, leading to disciplinary action against dozens of medical practitioners. Several of those whose licences were suspended were found involved in carrying out Caesarean section procedures illegally, officials told the committee.
The committee, which met at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Senator Aamir Waliuddin Chishti, took serious notice of the disciplinary cases and directed PM&DC to provide a complete list of suspended doctors along with details of actions taken, implementation status and pending complaints.
Members also reviewed matters relating to disciplinary proceedings, complaints against medical practitioners, licensing issues involving local and foreign medical graduates and the legal powers governing PMDC committees.
Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal informed the committee that Pakistan continues to face a major imbalance between the number of students seeking medical education and available seats in medical colleges.
He said more than 120,000 students appear in the MDCAT examination every year and around 95,000 qualify, while medical colleges across the country have only about 20,000 seats available. As a result, nearly 75,000 students either seek admission to private institutions or pursue medical education abroad.
According to the minister, the trend results in an estimated outflow of around $800 million annually from Pakistan, while more than 40,000 Pakistani medical students are currently studying in foreign countries.
He added that some students manage to secure admission abroad even without passing MDCAT.
The committee also reviewed the performance of the National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (NIRM), where officials informed members that the institute, established in 1998 when Islamabad’s population stood at about 1.94 million, is now serving a population of around 3.5 million in the federal capital as well as patients from other provinces.
NIRM officials said the institute had been allocated Rs641.879 million, of which around 70 percent had been utilized. Committee members questioned officials about service delivery, patient charges and budget utilization after being informed that while many patients receive free treatment, some categories are charged according to prescribed procedures.
Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan expressed concern over equitable access to healthcare services and sought details of the institute’s fee structure.
Members also requested data on the number of patients treated over the last five years and expenditure patterns over the previous four years. The committee directed the ministry and NIRM administration to submit detailed information on patient care, finances and institutional performance.
During discussions on public health interventions, Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal informed the committee that the government’s cervical cancer vaccination programme had faced resistance despite extensive efforts to introduce the vaccine.
“The cervical cancer vaccine has been launched with great difficulty in Pakistan,” he said, adding that some schools and parents had withdrawn support during awareness campaigns, creating challenges for implementation.
The minister also highlighted Pakistan’s maternal health burden, informing the committee that around 11,000 women die every year due to pregnancy related complications and stressing the need for stronger awareness campaigns and maternal health interventions.
The committee received a separate briefing from the Health Services Academy (HSA), which informed members that the institution ranks among the top 15 institutions recognised by the Higher Education Commission.
Officials said the academy had produced 398 research publications and awarded more than 4,000 diplomas through various academic and professional programmes.
Members also considered the Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (Regulation) Bill, 2025, aimed at regulating the sale and use of vaping products, particularly among minors. Senator Sarmad Ali, who moved the bill, said the legislation was intended to protect children from the growing use of nicotine products.
Mustafa Kamal told the committee that effective enforcement of vape regulations would require specialised testing facilities and additional resources, including the establishment of a laboratory for testing vaping products. He said the bill would require review by the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Law and the federal cabinet because of its financial implications.
The committee also expressed dissatisfaction over non-compliance with its earlier directives regarding formula milk regulation and directed relevant authorities to implement previous decisions without further delay.
Chairman Senator Aamir Waliuddin Chishti further voiced concern over the continued increase in medicine prices and announced that the Competition Commission of Pakistan would be called to the next committee meeting to brief members on factors contributing to rising drug prices and recommend corrective measures.
Ends