ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for National Heal­­th Services Dr Malik Mu­­khtar Ahmad on Wed­nes­day emphasised that the National Health and Population Policy (NHPP) 2025-34 must address the country’s evolving health challenges and align with global health standards besides ensuring these policies are integrated both at national and provincial levels for greater efficiency.

Presiding over a meeting to discuss the policy, the state minister outlined key priorities for the policy’s development and suggested IT systems, including electronic medical records (EMR), for improving surveillance, accountability and health data management in the country, particularly at union council level.

The meeting was atten­ded by representatives of the World Bank, UNFPA, the population wing of health ministry and other key stakeholders.

Dr Ahmad called for an increase in health spending from 1.2pc of GDP to 2pc, with an emphasis on re­­source mobilisation and prioritised spending for bet­­ter healthcare delivery.

He advocated for ensuring Basic Health Units and Rural Health Centers provided essential health services such as medicines, MNCH services and health technology besides identifying high-risk populations for targeted interventions. He stressed the need for an implementation plan and a monitoring and evaluation framework to ensure the effective delivery of the NHPP 2025-34.

He also highlighted the importance of empowering lady health workers to improve family planning outreach and ensure that contraceptives are readily available to the people.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2025