Mustafa Kamal warned that contaminated water is the origin of about 70 percent of diseases in Pakistan and said adopting the principle that prevention is better than cure is essential to improve public health. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of a two-day Regional Seminar on Diabetes and Herbal Medicines at the Health Services Academy, the federal health minister argued that without a focus on prevention, clean water and stronger public-health infrastructure, building more hospitals will not curb the rising disease burden.
The minister described diabetes as the mother of all diseases and said roughly one in four Pakistanis now suffers from the condition, putting hospitals under severe strain. He estimated that providing safe drinking water could cut hospital caseloads by up to 70 percent and urged the establishment of local sewage treatment systems from Gilgit-Baltistan to Karachi to tackle widespread contamination.
Mustafa Kamal also expressed concern about anti-vaccination campaigns, noting the government supplies free vaccines against 13 major diseases and warning that misinformation threatens child health. At the same time he endorsed the promotion of herbal medicines and natural treatments as timely measures to complement conventional care and support diabetes prevention efforts.
Dr Shehzad Ali Khan described the rising prevalence of diabetes in Pakistan as alarming and said that prioritising primary healthcare, improved nutrition, physical activity and timely screening must become national priorities. He urged that lifestyle medicine and research into herbal remedies be integrated into long-term national policy to support diabetes prevention and reduce pressure on tertiary services.
Muhammad Ali, Commissioner of Social Security Punjab, said diabetes is increasing rapidly among the working class and adding strain to social security hospitals, emphasising that focused public awareness campaigns are essential to prevent new cases. Former Balochistan health secretary Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Qambrani highlighted that lack of clean water and weak sewerage systems are major drivers of disease in the province and called for government attention to reduce illness rates.
At the Health Services Academy, academic speakers underlined the role of herbal and plant-based treatments alongside scientific validation. Professor Dr Muhammad Tariq noted global advances in research on herbs for diabetes, urging Pakistan to strengthen its academic contribution, while Professor Dr Shahid Baig stressed the need for scientific evaluation and regulatory approval of plant-based compounds now showing promise in diabetes management.
Dr Mati-ur-Rehman warned that unhealthy lifestyles and lack of physical activity are driving many illnesses and recommended national measures to reverse these trends. Professor Dr Samina Naeem drew attention to the growing incidence of diabetes among women, particularly gestational diabetes during pregnancy, and said the condition is often overlooked despite risks to both mother and child.
Speakers at the seminar agreed that combining clean water initiatives, improved sanitation, public education, lifestyle medicine and rigorous research into herbal remedies offers a practical path toward diabetes prevention and a more resilient public-health system in Pakistan.
