ISLAMABAD – Speakers including legislators have assured pharmaceutical manufacturers that a solution to resolve industry issues after the 18th Amendment would be worked out. “If there is a will there is a way,” said Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Dr Farooq Sattar, while speaking at a seminar on devolution of health sector organised by Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) here on Friday.
He said that politics is an art of finding out possibilities. “We have passed 19th Amendment to address issues relating judiciary and we can go for a 20th Amendment if needed to resolve problems facing drug manufacturers”, he added. Dr Sattar said that though devolution was very close to him and his party, he is ready to address problems in sub sectors of health according to stakeholders’ wishes.
He hinted that these problems can be addressed by double taxation under fundamental rights, items six and 13 or invoking Article 144 of the Constitution. The minister stated that he will arrange a meeting of PPMA with the Parliamentary Committee for the implementation of 18th Amendment to resolve this issue. NA Standing Committee on Health Chairman Dr Nadeem Ahsan said that he has convened a committee meeting on Feb 9 to discuss this issue.
He said that removal of ambiguities, without affecting provincial autonomy, was necessary before implementation of the 18th Amendment. He maintained that foreign donors had shown concerns over this issue, affecting Pakistan’s millennium goals. Dr Ahsan promised PPMA to consult Raza Rabbani, head of 18th Amendment implementation committee, for addressing these issues.
“We have already sought time from him”, he added. Senate’s Standing Committee on Health and deputy parliamentary leader of BNP in Senate Chairperson Begum Kulsoom Perveen supported demand of a drug regulatory authority in the centre before developing similar expertise and organisations in the provinces. Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan said that the government should give importance to national pharmaceutical industry and resolve its problems.
Earlier, PPMA Chairman Dr Haroon Qassim, in his welcome address, expressed fears that the devolution of Health Ministry from federation to provinces under 18th Amendment will create problems for patients as well as industry in terms of pricing, registration, quality control and licensing. He said that PPMA is not apposing the devolution of health ministry at provincial level under 18th Amendment.
“What we are saying is that all functions of the Ministry of Health can go to the provinces except licensing, pricing, quality control and registration”, they observed. Haroon Qasim felt that drug testing, licensing, registration and pricing are done at federal level all over the world. Examples of FDA and MHR prime examples in this regard, he added.
