ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan–China International Conference on Food-Medicine Homology, Nutrition and Health brought together leading scientists, policymakers, regulators and industry experts from Pakistan and China to strengthen bilateral cooperation in health sciences, nutrition and traditional medicine.

Speaking as the chief guest at the event that opened on Monday at the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST),Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal termed the conference a timely initiative on an important subject. He urged OIC-Comstech to actively promote traditional medicine and said Pakistan’s healthcare system must shift greater focus towards prevention so that citizens remain healthy rather than relying solely on treatment after illness.

He expressed hope that Pakistan could emerge as a shining star in adopting and promoting traditional herbal medicine.

He observed that despite strong indigenous traditions in herbal healing, the sector had not progressed adequately due to a lack of patronage, structured support and effective marketing.

Highlighting the importance of timely decision-making, Mustafa Kamal stated that there was no room for error and that the country must adopt the right strategies from the outset. “The time for experimentation has passed; we must now compete with global advancements,” he added.

Addressing the gathering, Coordinator General OIC-Comstech Prof Dr Mohammad Iqbal Choudhary said the concept of Food-Medicine Homology reflected the role of food not only as nutrition but also as a means of disease prevention and health promotion. He noted that Pakistan-China cooperation in traditional medicine, natural product research, and biomedical sciences was a strong example of scientific diplomacy.

He said China’s vast expertise in Traditional Chinese Medicine, combined with Pakistan’s rich biodiversity and medicinal plant resources, offered enormous opportunities for innovation.

In his opening statement, Prof Dr Liu Xinmin, Member of the WHO Expert Advisory Panel on Traditional Medicine and Chief Scientist at Ningbo University, described the conference as a celebration of the deep-rooted scientific brotherhood between Pakistan and China. He highlighted more than two decades of cooperation with Pakistani institutions in herbal medicines, food nutrition, space medicine and drug discovery.

Meanwhile, a delegation led by the Ambassador of Turkiye called on Mustafa Kamal. During the meeting, both sides held detailed discussions on enhancing cooperation between Pakistan and Turkiye in the health sector.

Discussions were held on promoting public-private partnerships to improve the healthcare sector, as well as exploring avenues for increased investment. Both sides also reviewed the potential for promoting health tourism and providing quality medical services to international patients.

In another development, the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (Pima) has expressed serious concern over the alarming rise in HIV cases across the country, including Islamabad and Karachi and has called for the declaration of a public health emergency with immediate and effective interventions.

The association has urged the government to take strict and prompt action against unsafe medical practices, ensure enforcement of infection control protocols, and launch widespread public awareness campaigns.

Central President of Pima Prof Atif Hafeez Siddiqui stated on Monday that the recent diagnosis of more than 2,449 children with HIV reflected an extremely disturbing situation.

He noted that areas such as Taunsa, Islamabad, Karachi, Larkana, Qambar and Shahdadkot have emerged as major hotspots.

Referring to UNAIDS data, he added that the broader HIV situation in the country was equally concerning. “An estimated 350,000 people are living with HIV in Pakistan, while only around 74,000 are aware of their status, indicating a significant gap in diagnosis and ongoing transmission,” he added.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2026