- The provinces ordered a market study and law enforcement.
- Unsafe injections linked to the spread of HIV.
- Report on violations is requested before April 27.
ISLAMABAD: Federal health authorities have ordered a nationwide ban on conventional disposable syringes and launched a review of safer alternatives amid growing concerns about unsafe injections linked to HIV transmission. The news reported on Thursday.
The decisions were taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Director General of Health Dr Abdul Wali Khan of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) and attended by Dr Obaidullah, CEO of DRAP, senior officials of the Ministry of Health, Deputy Director of WHO in Pakistan, representatives of Unicef, CEOs of PIMS, Dr Rana Imran Sikandar and Professor Shahzad Munir Polyclinic, officials of the National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad, including its CEO Dr. Salman and Dr. Mumtaz Ali. Khan, IHRA and infectious disease experts.
Officials said the meeting reviewed the growing number of HIV infections in both children and the general population, with particular concern over unsafe injection practices, syringe reuse and poor infection prevention and control measures.
Health experts say a large proportion of HIV infections are linked to syringe reuse and unsafe blood transfusions.
A key topic of the meeting was the widespread use of disposable syringes in clinical and informal healthcare settings, which increases the risk of transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
In view of this, the federal Ministry of Health decided to constitute an expert sub-committee to assess whether the continued use of conventional syringes should be restricted or replaced with self-destructing or self-destructing syringes that cannot be reused.
In parallel with the policy review, Drap has ordered strict enforcement of an existing ban on conventional disposable syringes through a nationwide market study.
In a directive issued on April 22, Drap’s Quality Assurance and Laboratory Testing Division directed the National Task Force for Eradication of Spurious and Substandard Products to conduct a nationwide survey to ensure compliance with the ban and identify any illegal products still being sold in the market.
The letter reiterated that Drap had imposed a complete ban on the import and manufacturing of conventional disposable syringes effective July 31, 2021 and canceled all registrations of such products. However, concerns remain that these syringes continue to circulate, particularly in unregulated segments.
. Provincial drug control authorities have been ordered to take strict regulatory action in cases of non-compliance, while a full report on findings and enforcement action has been requested by April 27.
Officials said the crackdown aims to remove unsafe syringes from circulation and address one of the key drivers of blood-borne infections in the country.
Health experts have long warned that Pakistan remains among the world’s largest users of therapeutic injections, with millions administered daily, many of them unnecessary and often administered through unsafe practices.
Meeting participants highlighted the need for stronger infection prevention and control systems, better monitoring of healthcare providers, and greater public awareness to discourage unnecessary injections. Officials also highlighted the importance of ensuring the availability of safer alternatives, including self-disabling syringes, particularly in public sector programs.
