The federal government has approved a nationwide ban on conventional disposable syringes in an effort to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases.
According to the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), the manufacturing, import, and sale of conventional syringes will be prohibited after December 31, 2026.
Starting January 1, 2027, only safety engineered auto disable (auto-lock) syringes will be allowed for sale, replacing conventional 1cc and 10cc disposable syringes.
DRAP said the decision was made on the directives of the Prime Minister to strengthen infection control and eliminate the health risks associated with the reuse of disposable syringes.
The authority has already notified syringe manufacturers and importers, while the DRAP Medical Devices Board has formally approved the new policy.
However, conventional 10cc syringes will remain available under restricted conditions for specific medical procedures in selected public and private hospitals.
To regulate their limited use, DRAP will introduce a digital monitoring portal, requiring secondary and tertiary care hospitals to upload usage data to ensure proper oversight and traceability.
Earlier, health Minister Mustafa Kamal announced that a ban had been imposed on five types of syringes in response to a rise in HIV/AIDS cases reported across Pakistan.
Speaking during a National Assembly session, he stated that reports of rising AIDS cases have emerged from Taunsa and Islamabad.
The Health Minister said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a special committee to prevent the spread of the disease.
Explaining the reasons behind the increase in cases, he said that the use of reused syringes has contributed to the rise in HIV/AIDS infections.
According to Mustafa Kamal, a total of 366,000 people in the country are living with HIV/AIDS. He added that HIV/AIDS is not an incurable disease.
He further stated that the government is working with the provinces to control the disease and has banned the use of five types of syringes. It is worth mentioning here that last month, the Ministry of National Health issued a clarification regarding media reports about AIDS cases in Islamabad, denying claims of a dangerous increase.
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