ISLAMABAD: Newly-appointed Federal Minister for Health Dr Nadeem Jan has vowed to introduce reforms and transparency in health department.

Talking to Dawn soon after taking oath, the minister also pledged that he would form an independent and powerful “Consultative Health Council” comprising renowned health experts to make the health system transparent.

He said the Council would have the powers to even hold the minister accountable.

Dr Jan highlighted a plethora of challenges in the health sector such as inefficiency of the hospitals, lack of accountability and duplication of efforts.

The minister said he had many plans for the progressive development of the department which he wanted to implement in consultation with the prime minister.

Dr Jan said that he had decided to take briefings from different departments in order to take appropriate decisions regarding the health ministry.

Answering a question, Dr Jan said it was unfortunate that the countries like Somalia and Sudan had left Pakistan behind in polio eradication and that he would give special attention by doing collaborative efforts.

Moreover, he said in order to improve the performance of hospitals and staff, it was imperative to establish a ‘Transparency and Accountability Cell’ in the ministry.

Dr Jan has an extensive list of contributions in health department. He is a recipient of Tamgha-i-Imtiaz and Sitara-i-Imtiaz and has 24-year long career of working with the UN, USAID, World Bank, EU, DFID, international non-government organisations and national governments. He has managed complex emergencies in the world’s most challenging contexts like Somalia, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Philippines, Kenya, Afghanistan and even in Pakistan’s tribal areas.

In the period 1996-2000, Dr Nadeem Jan played key role in the development and implementation of Pakistan’s flagship lady health workers and polio programme.

In 2004-5, Dr Jan launched the first-ever “Health Reforms initiative” in erstwhile Federal Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) amidst many odds.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2023