Federal Minister for Health, Mr. Mustafa Kamal met with Professor Susan Hopkins Chief Medical Advisor of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to discuss ongoing collaboration and new areas of partnership in the health sector, according to a spokesperson from the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination.
During the meeting, both sides exchanged views on matters of mutual interest, focusing on enhancing public health response systems. Minister Mustafa Kamal expressed gratitude to the UKHSA for its continued support in strengthening Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) and implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) framework in Pakistan.
The UK government has supported the establishment of a national IDSR system to improve early detection and rapid response to disease outbreaks. Under this initiative, 15,000 primary healthcare physicians across Pakistan have been trained on IDSR protocols with robust technical assistance from UKHSA which has been an active partner in Pakistan’s health sector since 2016.
Minister Kamal highlighted ongoing reforms in the healthcare system, particularly efforts to improve accessibility through technology. He announced the launch of a telemedicine initiative aimed at digitizing primary and secondary healthcare services across the country. “This system will also enable rapid response during emergencies,” he said.
The Minister further revealed the introduction of a ‘One Patient, One ID’ system to ensure integrated and efficient patient care through digital tracking and data sharing.
Professor Susan, Chief Medical Advisor at UKHSA, shared insights on the UK's experience in leveraging digital health technologies to improve healthcare delivery and expressed readiness to support Pakistan in these areas. She also confirmed UKHSA’s commitment to strengthening Pakistan’s IHR core capacities and data management systems.
Minister Kamal invited the Chief Medical Advisor to visit Pakistan and observe firsthand the ongoing UKHSA-supported programs and their impact.
In the meeting, both sides agreed on the need to enhance national-level health data systems and reaffirmed the importance of continuing IHR-related initiatives to prevent and control disease outbreaks. The Minister also emphasized that steps are underway to strengthen local vaccine manufacturing and reinforce the capacity of the National Institute of Health (NIH).
Highlighting the government's focus on communicable diseases, Minister Kamal stated that dedicated funds have been allocated for surveillance and control of hepatitis C and other infectious diseases.
This engagement reflects a shared commitment to building a resilient, responsive, and technology-enabled public health system in Pakistan.
