Minister assures lawmakers to fix ‘nursing council mess’

ISLAMABAD: Health Minister Mustafa Kamal on Friday assured lawmakers that the administrative and management issues plaguing the Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council (PNMC) would soon be resolved.

During a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, members said the PNMC — once seen as a guardian of healthcare standards — had now been reduced to an institution mired in mismanagement, corruption, favouritism, and other irregularities.

MNA Mahesh Kumar Malani chaired the meeting.

Despite repeated criticism from lawmakers, the PNMC has shown little improvement, with meetings often ending up without tangible outcomes.

Committee member Syed Agha Rafiullah alleged that the PNMC had become a hub of corruption. “I have evidence that goes beyond mere financial mismanagement,” he said. Without naming officials, Rafiullah indirectly referenced the minister, saying, “They have become white elephants, with deep-rooted influence spreading everywhere. I have already shared irrefutable evidence in this regard, which cannot be discussed here to avoid defaming the national institute internationally.”

Echoing his concerns, nearly all committee members expressed dissatisfaction with the council’s performance.

MNA Aliya Kamran alleged that the current council president was elected through a fraudulent process. “By law, elections must be held to choose the president, vice president, and other office bearers,” she said. “The documents I shared with the ministry and committee members clearly show that all signatures were forged by a single person to fabricate the election process.”

Lawmakers further criticised PNMC officials for repeatedly ignoring committee summons. Despite several official notices, they said, council representatives failed to appear. “This is not just a disregard for committee members, but an insult to the entire parliament,” Aliya Kamran remarked.

Several MNAs said a “powerful mafia” was running the council. “I have received threatening phone calls and faced harassment and mental pressure since I began speaking out against these malpractices,” Kamran added.

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Minister Mustafa Kamal assured the committee that no one would be allowed to undermine the dignity of parliament. “Asking questions is a fundamental right of all honourable members, even if they are uncomfortable,” he said. The minister added that since assuming office, he had met with all relevant health ministry officials and was fully aware of the issues.

“You will soon witness visible improvements in the system,” he pledged, adding that the ministry was actively developing a mechanism to eliminate corruption and ensure accountability at all levels.

He emphasised that the focus was not on replacing individuals, but on reforming the system itself. “This will mark a major milestone in Pakistan’s healthcare journey towards transparency, accountability and excellence,” he said, adding that the new system was expected to eradicate corruption and departmental mismanagement entirely.

Kamal acknowledged inefficiencies, lack of oversight, and corruption in the health sector, which, he said, had deprived citizens of the quality care they deserve.

The minister said the upcoming reforms included a digital monitoring and accountability framework to ensure comprehensive oversight of the health sector.

Earlier, Kamal had announced the ‘One Patient, One Medical Record (MR) ID’ initiative and signed an agreement with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) for its implementation.

The MR ID will serve as a unique identifier for each patient to access their medical records, allowing continuity of care regardless of where they seek treatment across the country. Under the plan, Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) will function as the MR ID.