KARACHI: Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal has said that Pakistan’s healthcare system is riddled with fundamental flaws and the solution lies not merely in building hospitals but in improving the entire environment.

He said this while addressing industrialists at the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (Kati).

Highlighting the public health challenges, the minister said that around 68 per cent of diseases in Pakistan were caused by contaminated water, as the country lacked a proper sewerage system.

He underscored the need to strengthen the country’s primary healthcare infrastructure, pointing out that nearly 70pc of patients in major hospitals suffered from minor illnesses that should be treated at primary healthcare centres.

Mr Kamal noted that Pakistan ranked among the highest globally in diabetes and hepatitis C cases, and while polio had been eradicated worldwide, it still persisted in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Emphasising the role of technology, he announced that reforms in the health sector would be introduced through a public-philanthropic partnership model.

“The telemedicine service introduced during Covid-19 will now be expanded to ensure medicines and doctor consultations are delivered to people’s doorsteps,” he stated, adding that a collaboration with Nadra was underway to convert national identity card numbers into Medical Record Numbers (MRNs), with legislation for this initiative expected soon.

He also spoke about the shortage of nursing staff in Pakistan, stating that there were only 170,000 nurses in the country.

“We need at least 900,000. Globally, there is demand for 2.5 million Pakistani nurses, potentially turning this sector into a multi-billion-dollar foreign exchange earner for Pakistan.”

Earlier, the Kati President Junaid Naqi highlighted that the Korangi Industrial Area was Pakistan’s economic engine, generating daily revenue of over Rs600 million and annual exports worth $4 bn, while employing nearly 2 million people.

“Despite its contribution, Karachi continues to be neglected, particularly in healthcare facilities,” he said.

He lamented that industrial workers and their families faced difficulties in accessing basic healthcare services. “It is extremely unfortunate that a city contributing so much to Pakistan’s economy faces such a severe shortage of hospitals and primary care facilities,” he added.

Mr Naqi demanded that the federal government allocate special funds for healthcare in Karachi, especially in the Korangi Industrial Area. “It’s time the Prime Minister gave Karachi the attention it deserves,” he urged.

Kati Deputy Patron-in-Chief Zubair Chhaya, Senior Vice President Ejaz Ahmed Sheikh, Vice President Syed Tariq Hussain, MPA Najm Mirza and others were also present.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2025