Federal Minister for Health, Syed Mustafa Kamal, represented Pakistan at the Global Health Forum held in Beijing, where he delivered a compelling address highlighting Pakistan’s health sector challenges and emerging opportunities for global collaboration.
Speaking candidly, Minister Kamal urged international stakeholders, particularly from China and the Asia-Pacific region, to explore partnerships in Pakistan’s rapidly evolving health landscape. “Pakistan, with a population exceeding 250 million and growing by over 6 million annually, faces serious public health challenges,” he said. “But these challenges also present immense opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and investment.”
The Minister pointed out key areas for engagement including the need for skilled trainers, modern technologies, and the integration of traditional medicines. He invited global partners to explore investment avenues, emphasizing Pakistan's commitment to providing strong returns, streamlined regulation, and government support. “Only three days ago, Pakistan’s Prime Minister inaugurated a new digital regulatory system for medical devices that will reduce approval timelines from over a year to just 20 days,” he noted.
Minister Kamal also spoke frankly about structural issues affecting public health, including a high prevalence of waterborne diseases—estimated to cause 68% of health issues, largely due to untreated sewage contaminating drinking water sources. He highlighted the urgency of tackling Pakistan’s population growth, which currently stands at a rate of 3.6%, the highest in the region.
Underscoring the country’s pivot from a reactive “sick care” model to a proactive “health care” system, he emphasized the need to strengthen primary healthcare through innovation. “We aim to establish a robust health system not based on bricks and mortar alone, but leveraging technologies like telemedicine and artificial intelligence to reach underserved communities,” he said.
Minister Kamal reiterated the government’s unwavering political will to reform the health sector, noting the recent formation of a high-level national commission on population and health reform. “We are confronting our challenges head-on with eyes wide open. The goal is to make healthcare not a luxury, but a right for every Pakistani—and to contribute solutions globally,” he declared.
He concluded by expressing gratitude to the organizers and the Beijing Municipal Government for hosting the event. “I am not here to paint a rosy picture, but to share the real story of Pakistan, one of challenges, but also of resilience and readiness for partnership.”
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