PM Shehbaz chairs meeting on national health reforms
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presided over a high-level meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office to review national health affairs and ongoing reforms aimed at transforming Pakistan’s healthcare system.
Focus on Sustainable Health Reforms
The meeting assessed the progress of existing initiatives and discussed new strategies to improve healthcare services across the country. The Prime Minister praised the Ministry of National Health Services, led by Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal, for driving sustainable reforms in the sector.
Government Committed to Quality Healthcare
PM Sharif reiterated that providing quality healthcare to citizens remains a top government priority. He directed the Health Ministry to develop a detailed strategy to engage with charitable organizations and the private sector, particularly to strengthen healthcare infrastructure in Islamabad.
WHO Accreditation and Export Potential
The Prime Minister encouraged local pharmaceutical companies to pursue World Health Organization (WHO) accreditation. He emphasized that international certification would not only enhance drug quality but also boost Pakistan’s pharmaceutical exports.
Crackdown on Counterfeit Medicines
Issuing a firm directive, PM Sharif called for the adoption of advanced technologies to completely eliminate counterfeit medicines. “There will be no compromise on drug safety,” he asserted.
Medical Education and Nursing Sector Reforms
Highlighting the importance of education standards, the Prime Minister instructed that third-party validation of medical colleges be ensured. He also ordered a comprehensive review of the nursing sector, stressing that political interference in health reforms will not be tolerated.
Progress on Digitization and New Facilities
Officials briefed the Prime Minister on key health sector challenges and proposed long-term solutions. Notably, the complete digitization of the drug and medical device registration process is expected by the end of next month, reducing approval timelines from one year to just three months.
Plans are also underway to operationalize newly built Basic Health Units, a Regional Blood Center, and the Isolation Hospital and Infectious Treatment Center (IHITC) in Islamabad, with support from philanthropists.
Key Officials in Attendance
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Planning and Development Dr. Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister of State for Health Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Bharath, and senior officials from relevant departments.