ISLAMABAD, Dec 17 (APP): Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal on Wednesday said that the real responsibility of the health sector was to prioritize preventive measures and guide people accordingly, rather than forcing them to seek treatment in hospitals.
He expressed these views while addressing the students and faculty at School of Dentistry, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto University.
The minister emphasized that true healthcare begins outside hospital walls, starting with environmental and preventive measures. “Due to the lack of a functional healthcare system, our hospitals are overburdened with patients”, he said.
He said that Pakistan is fundamentally transforming its healthcare system by shifting from a hospital-dependent “sick-care model” to a comprehensive preventive framework focused on vaccination, clean water and nationwide digital medical records.
He urged the people to focus on “Full Health Preventive Ecosystem” rather relying solely on hospitals. Pakistan’s population of around 240 million continues to grow fast, with about 6.5 million births each year, he said and added, Pakistan leads the region in population growth. Each year the population increases by the size of New Zealand’s population, which adds immense pressure on the health system. Citizens must recognize that children’s health is not only the government’s duty but a shared responsibility, he expressed.
He noted that Pakistan’s previous approaches were centered around ‘treating illness instead of preventing it,’ which he called was not sustainable for a country with population of 250 millions, including over 6 millions newborns each year.
“It is impossible for hospitals alone to address all illness,” the minister said, adding that the government was now strengthening primary and secondary healthcare to ensure early detection and prevention.
Kamal identified contaminated water as a major cause of disease, accounting for up to 70 percent of cases, and stressed that access to clean drinking water, public awareness, and collective efforts are essential for prevention.
The minister said the national immunization program has been extended to include 13 free vaccines and “We must ensure every child completes the full vaccination schedule against these diseases.”
He underscored that while the world may overcome diseases like cancer in the coming decade, Pakistan risked lagging behind if it remains entangled in misconceptions, including debates around vaccination. He strongly urged parents to ensure polio vaccination for their children, emphasizing that the poliovirus still exists in Pakistan and remains a serious public health threat.
The federal minister shared that efforts were underway to introduce innovation in the healthcare system. He noted that treatments for almost all diseases were available in Pakistan, except polio, which could only be eradicated through sustained immunization efforts.
Kamal stressed that while the Health Ministry was driving major reforms, essential public health infrastructure including clean drinking water and sanitation were remained the responsibility of local governments.