President Mamnoon Hussain has directed that all possible
efforts should be made for the timely provision of medicines to the patients of
orphan/rare diseases so that the objectives of public health in the country can
be achieved.
The President
said this during a briefing by Ministry of National Health Services,
Regulations and Coordination (NHSRC) regarding the federal policy of
manufacturing and assessment of the prices of life saving/orphan drugs here at
the Awian-e-Sadr, Islamabad on Wednesday. Federal
Minister for NHSRC Mrs. Saira Afzal Tarar and other senior officials were also
present on the occasion.
The President
took keen interest in the briefing and advised that the relevant stakeholders
should also be taken into confidence to increase the effectiveness of the said
policy. The President stressed for the early establishment of Federal Drug
Testing Laboratory approved from the World Health Organization to verify the
quality of the medicines manufactured in Pakistan so that the export of the
medicines prepared in Pakistan can be enhanced.
Federal Minister
for National Health Services Mrs. Saira Afzal Tarar apprised the president that
the policy regarding the orphan drugs for the treatment of life threatening
rare diseases will be implemented soon after the completion of necessary legal
formalities.