IHRA chief resigns, cites erosion of board’s autonomy

ISLAMABAD: Chairman of the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA) Dr Mohammad Riaz Shahbaz Janjua has resigned from his office as well as membership of the authority’s Board of Authority, citing circumstances that he said had progressively affected the board’s institutional autonomy.

In a resignation letter addressed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Dr Janjua said he was relinquishing both positions with effect from the date his resignation was accepted.

Dr Janjua was nominated by the federal cabinet as a member of the IHRA Board in October 2024 and was unanimously elected chairman at the board’s first meeting.

He said he had discharged his responsibilities with dedication, integrity and commitment and without receiving any remuneration.

Highlighting the authority’s performance during his tenure, Dr Janjua said the IHRA had made significant progress despite having only 27 employees. The authority, he said, had developed minimum service delivery standards for various categories of healthcare establishments, registered around 2,500 establishments and conducted more than 8,000 regulatory and inspection visits.

The authority also sealed around 500 establishments allegedly involved in quackery and unlawful healthcare practices, while generating substantial revenue for the public exchequer through registration fees and regulatory fines, according to the resignation letter.

Dr Janjua said an independent and professionally functioning regulatory authority was essential to protect patients, improve the quality of healthcare and ensure accountability in the sector.

“However, owing to certain developments and circumstances which, in my considered view, have progressively affected the institutional autonomy of the Board of Authority,” he said, adding that his other personal commitments had also contributed to his decision.

He said he no longer felt able to discharge the responsibilities of the office with the independence and effectiveness it required.

Dr Janjua expressed gratitude to the federal cabinet and the prime minister for giving him the opportunity to serve in the healthcare regulatory body, describing it as a privilege to contribute towards strengthening healthcare regulation and patient safety in the federal capital.

His resignation is subject to formal acceptance by the competent authority.