M Shehbaz Sharif Chairs Health Sector Review: Orders Reforms, WHO Accreditation, and Crackdown on Fake Medicines
Government to Collaborate with Private Sector for Islamabad Healthcare Expansion
Islamabad – Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress and future roadmap of the Ministry of National Health Services. The meeting praised the Ministry’s performance under the active leadership of Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal, particularly regarding initiatives aimed at long-term structural reforms in Pakistan’s healthcare system.
Prime Minister Shehbaz reiterated that providing the best possible healthcare services to the public remains a top priority of the government. He directed authorities to present a comprehensive framework for collaboration with private and charitable organizations to improve healthcare delivery in Islamabad.
A major directive from the Prime Minister was to encourage Pakistani pharmaceutical companies to seek accreditation from the World Health Organization (WHO). He noted that such certification would raise the quality of locally produced medicines and open up new export markets for the country.
Taking strong notice of counterfeit medicine in the market, the Prime Minister ordered the use of advanced technology to completely eradicate the trade of fake drugs. He emphasized that there can be no compromise on the quality of medical education in the country, instructing the Ministry to ensure third-party validation of medical colleges to uphold standards.
The Prime Minister also called for a comprehensive review of the nursing sector in Pakistan and reiterated that no political interference would be tolerated in the implementation of health reforms.
During the meeting, officials briefed the Prime Minister on obstacles impeding the growth of the healthcare sector and submitted recommendations for sustainable solutions. It was revealed that the entire registration process for medicines and medical equipment will be fully digitized by the end of next month, and the approval timeline will be reduced from one year to just three months.
Plans are also underway to operationalize newly built facilities in Islamabad—including Basic Health Units, a Regional Blood Center, and the Isolation Hospital and Infections Treatment Center (IHITC)—through collaboration with philanthropists.
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.
