KARACHI: The 3rd meeting of the Joint Healthcare Regulators Forum was held in Karachi, organized by the Sindh Healthcare Commission (SHCC) in collaboration with the Ministry of National Health Services and the World Health Organization (WHO). MPA Nida Khuhro, Parliamentary Secretary for Health & Population Welfare Department, Sindh, graced the event as the chief guest, alongside WHO’s country representative, the Federal Secretary MNHSR&C (via video link), CEOs of provincial healthcare commissions, and representatives of PMDC, CPSP, Pharmacy Council, National Council of Tib, National Council for Homeopathy, and other development partners.
Addressing the forum, Nida Khuhro said that Sindh has developed a strong regulatory framework after years of legislation and institutional reform. She announced that Sindh is now working toward a digital health framework covering telemedicine, e-prescriptions and online pharmacies, ensuring that healthcare services evolve with technology while keeping patient safety uncompromised. She also appreciated SHCC’s efforts to regulate the private sector and fill gaps in public health services.
Ms. Khuhro shared that Sindh is establishing a Clinical Governance Academy to train healthcare personnel in quality assurance, risk management and evidence-based policymaking. She added that Sindh is expanding regulatory oversight to ensure medicines and devices meet global standards, covering infection control, emergency governance, and minimum safety norms. She further noted that Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements are being enforced for all healthcare professionals to align with international benchmarks.
WHO Country Head Dr. Luo Dapeng said WHO is proud to support this forum as it reflects a national resolve toward coherence in regulation and accountability across Pakistan’s health system. He reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to supporting both federal and provincial governments in strengthening resilience across the country’s healthcare structure.
Addressing the meeting via video link, Federal Secretary Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination, Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh stated that the Ministry has introduced the National Blood Transfusion Policy and drafted a Policy for Thalassaemia Prevention and Genetic Disorders. He urged provincial bodies and regulatory authorities to ensure implementation of these policies across their jurisdictions.
CEO SHCC Dr. Ahson Qavi Siddiqi highlighted that existing regulatory frameworks do not reflect the rapid transformation in healthcare over the past 78 years. He said several degree programs currently labeled as health-related are not associated with core healthcare, creating confusion and promoting unqualified practice. He urged the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to reconcile and rename such degree programs, ensuring that academic titles do not resemble medical qualifications or contribute to quackery in society.
In his concluding remarks, SHCC Chairperson Dr. Khalid Shaikh said that the strong participation of healthcare officials from across Pakistan reflected not only institutional commitment but also a shared national vision. He stressed that matters such as patient safety, medical curriculum reforms, implementation of standards, and tackling quackery cannot be addressed in isolation. The Joint Healthcare Regulators Forum, he said, has proven to be an important platform to bridge gaps and drive collective national action.
Prominent participants included CEO Balochistan Healthcare Commission Dr. Noor Muhammad Qazi, CEO Islamabad Health Regulatory Authority Dr. Syed Ahmed Raza Kazmi, CEO KP Healthcare Commission Dr. Nadeem Akhtar, President and Vice President of Pharmacy Council of Pakistan, Allied Health Professionals Council, representatives from CPSP, Higher Education Commission, and Deputy Director of the Federal Ministry of Health. CEO Punjab Healthcare Commission and representative from PMDC also joined the session via video link.
