Hospitals struggle as life-saving medical devices stuck at airports, ports

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ISLAMABAD: The severe shortage of life -saving medical equipment, including diagnostic kits, surgical tools, employees, and surveillance equipment Stopping the shipment at points. Registration

No clear instruction has been issued to the customs authorities for expansion, the shipment of necessary medical equipment at airports and ports, which already worsening the serious situation.

Importers and healthcare professionals have warned that hospitals across the country are already experiencing its effects, as necessary equipment is not available for immediate procedures.

Customs officials have written a letter to the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), and have sought guidance on whether to release the ships or expire under SRO 224 (1) 2023. It should be implemented, which ended on December 31, 2024. Currently, multiple shipment class A, B, C, and D medical devices are blocked at various entry points due to the need for registration and registration certificates.

“The situation forced frustrated importers to approach the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to interfere. Despite a court order.

Ahmed emphasized that in providing unpopular and ambiguity of Member Customs (Operations) and providing clear guidance to the provincial customs officials, despite the order of establishment of IHC, already disaster on the health care industry. Effect.

Although Drip recommended extension of the discount and sent advice to the Prime Minister’s Office through the National Health Services Ministry, no formal information has been issued by the government.

Ahmed said, “In the meantime, customs officials are not clear about the method of moving forward and has sought further explanation from the drop, which has not yet been given any final response.”

Expressing serious concerns about bureaucratic delays, he warned that failure to solve this regulatory barrier is causing deterioration of imported equipment at ports and airports, which potentially their full Damage is done.

“Medical devices are getting rusty at entry points, while patients suffer due to shortage,” he added.

The absence of a permanent CEO in the drop increases the situation, as the regulatory agency has been without leadership since Asim Rauf’s retirement two weeks ago. A senior drop personnel, who, on condition of anonymity, confessed that he was preparing to direct customs authorities to work as per the court’s direction.

“It is not a drop to interpret judicial orders. We are writing customs officials to follow the IHC decision. If they have any doubts, they should get legal guidance.

Pakistan relies heavily on imported medical devices, which are essential for surgical procedures, diagnosis and emergency intervention. In 2017, Drip introduced the rules of medical devices, which included Rule 52, which allowed a period of exemption for registration of medical devices. The exemption was increased in 2021 and 2022 to provide time to manage thousands of first unregistered devices.

Despite repeated judicial orders, despite directing the drop to accelerate the registration process, thousands of applications remain pending, leaving importers in the organs and risking the availability of necessary medical equipment. –

Hospitals across Pakistan are already experiencing severe shortage of diagnostic kits, implants and surgical tools, which causes canceled procedures and compromise patients.

Reports of major health facilities show that delays in obtaining important medical equipment are forcing doctors to postpone life -saving surgery.

A drip internal acknowledged that the regulator has a shortage of human resources to effectively pending applications, resulting in delays in issuing waivers.