Islamabad: Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal said on Wednesday that medicine prices are under control despite deregulation, and that any increase must not fall on the common man.
He was speaking to the media after a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Health at the Parliament House.
Mustafa Kamal said a detailed report on medicine prices was presented to the committee, based on a recent market survey conducted to assess the impact of deregulation.
He said the review was done in light of inflation and market indicators, and the report has already been submitted to the Prime Minister. He added that the government will not allow medicine prices to go beyond the reach of poor and middle income families.
The minister said he agreed with the committee that the public must not bear the burden of any rise in prices.
He said deregulation was aimed at ensuring better availability of medicines, and the ministry is monitoring the situation closely.
The committee also took up polio vaccination, medicine pricing and health regulatory matters.
The minister briefed members on the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority and its digital projects. Members raised questions over weak action against quacks and stressed the need to make the regulatory system more effective in the public interest. Licensing of hospitals and the authority’s budget were also discussed.
Speaking about the cervical cancer vaccination campaign, Mustafa Kamal said social media propaganda damaged the drive and created confusion among parents.
To counter this, he said he had his own daughter vaccinated in front of the media to build trust and encourage families. He said the move helped improve the campaign’s response. The minister urged parliamentarians to have their children vaccinated publicly to counter rumours and promote routine immunisation.
Mustafa Kamal said elected representatives should support vaccination campaigns, back regulatory reforms and help strengthen the health system so that citizens continue to receive safe and quality healthcare.