ISLAMABAD: Pakis­tan has reaffirmed its commitment to universal health coverage (UHC), regional solidarity and multilateral cooperation at a meeting of the World Health Organisation held in Cairo.

The assurance was given by Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal during his address at the meeting of WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Regional Committee.

The minister said that Pakistan was strongly aligned with the year’s theme — “Together for a Healthy Future: Action, Access and Equity” — reflecting the government’s dedication to translating commitments into tangible actions that improved people’s health and well-being.

He said the country has developed and begun implementing the Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS) at the primary health care and community levels under the National Health Support Programme.

These efforts, he said, have resulted in a steady rise in Pakistan’s Universal Health Coverage Index, which has improved from 40 in 2015 to 54 in 2024.

Mr Kamal further underscored Pakistan’s enhanced preparedness and response capacity through increased domestic investment and partner support, including a recent $18 million grant from the Pandemic Fund to operationalise the National Action Plan for Health Security (2024-2028).

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2025