Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, met with a representative of Abbott’s Pharmaceuticals Division during his visit to attend the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The meeting discussed the implementation of Pakistan’s Hepatitis C elimination programme and broader issues relating to the pharmaceutical sector.
The Finance Minister expressed concern over the programme’s slow progress, noting that only around 100,000 of the approximately three million procured diagnostic tests had been utilized, which was attributable to leadership turnover, inadequate project management and limited public awareness.
He appreciated Abbott’s technical assistance based on its experience supporting Egypt’s large-scale screening programme. The meeting also covered improvements in DRAP’s regulatory capacity, pharmaceutical export diversification, Abbott’s plans for oncology treatment, and delays in resolving hardship medicine-pricing cases.
The Finance Minister acknowledged the need to balance affordability with commercial viability and continuity of supply, and undertook to raise the programme’s implementation issues with the relevant authorities in Pakistan to expedite progress.
