A high-level meeting to review the progress of the national Telemedicine Project was held under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Health, Syed Mustafa Kamal. The meeting was attended by the Joint Secretary of Health, the Director General of Development, and the Special Consultant on Telemedicine.
During the meeting, officials provided a comprehensive briefing on the progress made so far and the key challenges faced in the implementation of the telemedicine initiative.
Federal Minister Mustafa Kamal emphasized the urgent need for the project’s swift completion, stating, “The Telemedicine Project has become a critical need of the time. We must ensure its early rollout so that the people across the country can fully benefit from this modern healthcare solution.”
He noted that by leveraging advanced technologies, the project is “bringing doctors and medicines to the doorsteps of citizens,” especially those living in remote and underserved areas.
In its initial phase, pilot programs are being launched in Karachi and Islamabad, with plans for national scale-up thereafter.
Highlighting the burden on tertiary healthcare institutions, the Minister remarked that “Seventy percent of people bypass primary healthcare centers and directly visit major hospitals, resulting in increasing pressure on these facilities. The telemedicine initiative will significantly reduce this burden while extending quality healthcare to citizens at their doorstep.”
He further stressed that “this system will particularly benefit the poor and disadvantaged who cannot afford to travel to hospitals. It ensures that both consultation and essential medicines reach them where they live.”
Terming the project a “major step towards strengthening the country’s primary healthcare system,” Mustafa Kamal reiterated the government’s commitment to delivering accessible, efficient, and equitable healthcare through the integration of modern digital solutions.
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