ISLAMABAD: Around 60-70pc of marriages in Pakistan are consanguineous, increasing the risk of recessive genetic disorders by up to 18 times.

Registrar Health Services Academy (HSA) Prof Dr Tariq Mahmood Ali said that on Thursday, while speaking to participants of a consultative meeting on the National Genomic Policy of Pakistan.

The meeting was convened by the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the HSA, and brought together leading national and international experts in genomics, genetics, molecular biology, public health, and health policy from Pakistan and abroad.

Experts from Aga Khan University, Quaid-i-Azam University, CEMB Lahore, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, participated in the consultation and unanimously described the proposed policy as a landmark initiative for Pakistan’s healthcare future.

Dr Tariq said: “Pakistan has more than 10 million thalassemia carriers, with 7,000–10,000 new cases reported annually and an estimated 50,000–100,000 patients currently living with the disease. Genomic and inherited diseases are costing the country an estimated Rs 200–300 billion annually, with projections reaching PKR 1 trillion per year by 2050 if no action is taken.”

Health Minister Mustafa Kamal emphasised that Pakistan must transition from a disease-treatment model to a prevention-focused healthcare system. He highlighted the role of genomics, early screening, and precision medicine in reducing the burden of inherited and preventable diseases and strengthening national health security.

Dean Faculty of Life Sciences, HSA, Prof Dr Shahid Mahmood Baig, presented the draft National Genomic Policy and outlined a roadmap for establishing a National Public Health Genomics Program, genomic surveillance systems, workforce development, local diagnostic capacity, and preventive screening programs.

He emphasised that genomics was a high-return public health investment, with evidence showing that preventive screening can yield a 10–50 times return on investment, while thalassemia prevention programs can reduce affected births by 60–90 per cent.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2026